Following a week-long working visit to the United Kingdom, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officers have intensified maritime surveillance and interdiction operations.
Commander of Narcotics (DCN) Aminu Danjuma Jega headed a six-member delegation for training between 19 and 25 October 2025. The training was conducted under the guidance of Errol Flynn Macdonald of the UK Home Office (International Operations).
Agency spokesman Femi Babafemi announced Friday, November 14, that the team visited key British maritime and border enforcement facilities to learn international best practices in maritime intelligence, port security, and inter-agency coordination.
The programme continued in Lagos, where the international operations unit sponsored an additional 19 NDLEA officers to undergo a four-day advanced container targeting course from 10 to 13 November 2025. This support also covered the UK study tour.
The NDLEA delegation held extensive discussions in Portsmouth with key UK officials from the UK Border Force, the National Crime Agency (NCA), Home Office Intelligence, the National Maritime Security Centre, and the Joint Maritime Security Centre.
“During the engagements, the team received comprehensive presentations by the UK National Deep Rummaging Team, which showcased modern techniques and procedures for vessel rummage operations aimed at detecting and preventing illicit drug trafficking through sea routes,” the statement reads.
“The officers also witnessed live demonstration sessions at Tilbury and Felixstowe Ports, where inward-bound containers from Nigeria were subjected to layered inspection and risk-based screening procedures.”
Jega reported to the agency Chairman, Buba Marwa, that the exposure had significantly broadened the officers’ understanding of intelligence-driven maritime enforcement.
“We were exposed to advanced tools, data-sharing models, and inter-agency coordination frameworks that will significantly improve our maritime intelligence gathering and port surveillance operations,” he said.
“The practical demonstrations we witnessed, particularly in vessel rummage and underwater detection, are invaluable to NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to counter transnational drug trafficking through our seaports.”
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Yes, the English in the provided sentence is grammatically correct.
The structure, which uses the present participle “Responding” as a introductory element to indicate a simultaneous or immediately preceding action by the subject (“the Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa”), is a standard and acceptable journalistic or formal English construction. Sentences like this are commonly used in formal writing and news reporting to concisely describe events and actions.
The sentence flows well and conveys its intended meaning clearly.
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The sentence is already correct, but it can be subtly improved for clarity, flow, or emphasis depending on your desired writing style. Here are a few ways to refine it:
Options for Improvement
- Emphasize the Action (Standard Formal Tone)
This version slightly rephrases the introductory clause for a more direct connection between the act of responding and the main subject.
“In response, the Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended the officers for representing the country effectively and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening border security through technology and continuous training.
“Maritime routes remain critical in global drug trafficking networks. Strengthening our officers’ technical capacity and intelligence integration with our international partners is essential to safeguarding Nigeria’s borders,” Marwa said.
“The lessons from this UK engagement will be vital in enhancing NDLEA’s effectiveness in intercepting drug consignments at sea and ensuring safer maritime operations.”
