Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has partnered with the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to address the growing misuse of commercial transport vehicles in the movement of illicit substances.
The agreement was announced on Thursday, during a strategic meeting between NARTO National President, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman, and NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired), at the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the transport union, Othman, expressed NARTO’s full commitment to supporting NDLEA’s nationwide campaign against drug trafficking and abuse. He acknowledged the unique position of road transport operators whose trucks and buses connect every region of the country, and are sometimes exploited by criminal networks for smuggling drugs.
To support the initiative, NARTO proposed several key measures, including:
Training and sensitization programs for drivers and transport operators on how to identify and report suspicious cargo or behavior, deployment of NDLEA officers to major transport depots and parks across the country, joint intelligence sharing to monitor trafficking routes and tactics and public awareness campaigns using NARTO’s nationwide reach to educate drivers and passengers on the risks of drug abuse and trafficking.
In response, NDLEA chief Marwa welcomed the collaboration, emphasizing the importance of background checks on drivers to ensure they are not involved in drug syndicates or drug use. He warned that vehicle owners risk severe losses from road accidents to vehicle seizures if drivers are caught in illegal activities.
This partnership marks a critical step in strengthening Nigeria’s domestic strategy against drug trafficking, aligning enforcement agencies with key civilian stakeholders in the transportation sector.
