The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has strengthened the operational capacity of its Canine Unit through refresher training for dog handlers in Lagos, conducted in collaboration with Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office, the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA).
The training, held at the NDLEA Canine Unit Facility in Lagos, was facilitated by German technical dog-handling experts, Andreas Roscher and Jacqueline Shüler.
Eleven Canine Unit personnel participated in the exercise, including the unit commander, two veterinary doctors and eight dog handlers, alongside their service dogs.
Five additional officers from NDLEA commands in Lagos also participated after expressing interest in joining the unit.
The programme focused on advanced obedience and control, narcotics detection techniques, scent imprinting and search patterns, as well as practical exercises designed to replicate operational conditions.
Participants conducted simulation exercises at the baggage hall of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), APM Terminals Apapa and the MMIA NAHCO export shed.
The exercises also covered handler safety and tactics for deploying canine assets in high-risk environments.
The NDLEA said the collaboration with the BKA exposed Nigerian handlers to international best practices in canine operations and enhanced their ability to detect concealed narcotics.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), said the exercise reflected the agency’s commitment to developing a highly skilled workforce capable of responding to evolving drug-trafficking methods.
“Our canine teams remain one of the most potent assets in our detection and interdiction efforts, and this is why we will continue to invest in their retraining and welfare,” Marwa stressed.
He said canine teams had contributed significantly to drug interceptions at Nigeria’s airports, seaports and border points.
“The successes we have recorded at our airports, seaports and border points in intercepting concealed narcotics are in no small measure due to the dedication and sharpened instincts of our dogs and their handlers,” Marwa noted.
Marwa said the partnership with the German counterparts would further strengthen the agency’s operational capacity and align its canine operations with international best practices.
The NDLEA also acknowledged manpower and logistical challenges affecting the Canine Unit, including shortages of service dogs, personnel and boarding facilities.
According to the agency, the gaps limited its ability to provide adequate canine coverage across the country’s seaports, international airports and land borders.
The agency said plans were underway to address the challenges, adding that the refresher training should continue as an annual exercise to maintain and improve the operational skills of handlers and their dogs.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts by Nigeria’s lead drug-control agency to strengthen narcotics detection and interdiction capabilities at key entry and exit points.
