Lilypond Customs, NDLEA Strengthen Anti-Drug Alliance
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Lilypond Export Command, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration in tackling illicit drug trafficking and other transnational crimes.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Customs I (ASCI) Bukola Olusola-Oke, following a courtesy visit by the newly deployed Commander of the NDLEA Export Command, Commander Zubairu Bada, to the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Lilypond Export Command, Comptroller Samuel Ariyibi, on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
Commander Bada, who led a delegation of deputy commanders and senior officers, described the visit as a strategic move to consolidate the longstanding partnership between the two agencies. He expressed appreciation for the warm reception accorded his team and commended the cordial working relationship established with his predecessors, urging that the cooperation be sustained.
He also appealed to the Customs Command to organise a sensitisation programme for its officers on the dangers of drug abuse.
According to Bada, the NDLEA has continued to implement operational strategies and public awareness campaigns to combat drug abuse, stressing that the fight against narcotics requires collective responsibility.
“A drug addict is a danger to himself and society,” he stated.
Responding, Comptroller Ariyibi welcomed the NDLEA delegation and reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to maintaining a strong and productive partnership with the anti-narcotics agency.
He assured the NDLEA of the Command’s continued support and pledged to organise a sensitisation programme for Customs officers on the dangers and implications of drug abuse.
The Customs Area Controller also reiterated that suppressing smuggling remains one of the core statutory responsibilities of the Nigeria Customs Service, noting that enhanced collaboration with sister agencies is critical to achieving this objective.
He further pledged the Command’s unwavering commitment to strengthening operational synergy with the NDLEA in combating illicit drug trafficking and other forms of cross-border criminality.
The visit ended with the presentation of a commemorative plaque, symbolising the shared resolve of both agencies to deepen cooperation in securing Nigeria’s borders and protecting the public from the threats posed by illicit drugs and organised crime.
