Abuja: The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has pledged to partner with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) for the training of armourers and the purchase of ammunition, among other initiatives.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa pledged during a courtesy visit by the Director General of DICON, Maj.-Gen. Babatunde Alaya, in Abuja.
This is contained in a statement by Lt.-Col. Haruna Sani, Deputy Director, Public Information and Media, DICON, on Friday.
Marwa said that DICON has remained a strategic partner that could complement the ongoing fight against illicit drugs and substance abuse in the country.
He commended the DICON boss for his ingenious strides through strategic partnerships and collaboration, which were capable of propelling DICON’s prospects to match those of its counterparts in India and Brazil.
In his remarks, the DICON boss, Maj.-Gen. Alaya commended NDLEA for sustaining the tempo in the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria.
He stated that all crimes had direct or indirect links with drugs while appreciating Marwa for the willingness to patronise DICON products.
Alaya stated that the signing of the DICON Act 2023 by President Bola Tinubu provided the Corporation with the prospect of becoming the Hub of the military-industrial complex.
This, according to him, is evident in the multiple strategic partnerships the Corporation is engaging with in the defence-related private sector.
Alaya assured the NDLEA boss that no defence Institution in Nigeria would have to import ammunition for the execution of its mandate in the next few months.
He added that the commitment and sincerity of the Corporation’s leadership had convinced the private sector to show interest in collaborating with DICON through the provision of the defence needs for the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other para-military agencies.
“Very soon, Nigerians would be proud of DICON with a substantive number of committed partners with this critical national institution,” he said.
