NDLEA Trains Sniffer Dog Handlers with German Experts to Boost Drug Detection

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has conducted a specialised refresher training for its canine unit handlers in collaboration with German narcotics detection experts.

The exercise, held at the NDLEA Canine Unit Facility in Lagos, was organised in partnership with Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) and facilitated by technical dog-handling experts Andreas Roscher and Jacqueline Shüler.

The training was designed to improve the operational skills of NDLEA personnel and their service dogs in detecting and intercepting narcotics.

Eleven personnel from the agency’s Canine Unit 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 took part after expressing interest in joining the Canine Unit.

Participants received training in advanced obedience and control, narcotics detection techniques, scent imprinting and search patterns. The programme also included practical simulations at key locations, including the baggage hall of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), APM Terminals Apapa and the MMIA NAHCO export shed.

The handlers were also trained on safety procedures and tactical deployment of canine assets in high-risk environments.

Speaking on the exercise, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the training as part of the agency’s efforts to maintain a highly skilled and professional workforce capable of responding to increasingly sophisticated drug trafficking methods.

Marwa said the agency’s canine teams remain an important component of its narcotics detection and interdiction operations, particularly at airports, seaports and border crossings.

He noted that the continued retraining and welfare of both the dogs and their handlers would remain a priority, adding that collaboration with German counterparts would help strengthen the agency’s capabilities in line with international best practices.

The NDLEA chief also acknowledged manpower and logistical challenges confronting the Canine Unit, including the need for additional service dogs, trained personnel and boarding facilities to provide adequate coverage across the country’s seaports, international airports and land borders.

According to him, plans are underway to address the identified gaps, while the agency is also considering making the refresher training an annual exercise.

The NDLEA said the initiative is expected to further enhance the effectiveness of its canine teams in detecting concealed narcotics and disrupting drug trafficking activities across Nigeria.