NDLEA to search private jets for drugs

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and
the Nigeria Immigration Service have
intensified efforts to check movement of
aliens and drugs aboard private aircraft,
SUNDAY PUNCH, has learnt.
The agencies said the move became
necessary due to the spate of insecurity
in the country.
The Federal Government had on May 12,
2013, said illegal consignments, cash in
local and foreign currencies, and
fugitives were being smuggled "on daily
basis" in and out of the country aboard
private jets.
The Coordinating Information and
Communications Manager for aviation
agencies, Mr. Yakubu Dati, told
journalists that an order for the
declaration of passenger manifest - a
document containing details of all
persons aboard the plane – was necessary
to check the abuse of the use of private
and chartered jets.
Speaking to our correspondent on the
telephone on Friday, the Head, Public
Affairs, NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said
although drugs had not been found on
private jets, it was however common on
commercial carriers.
"On chartered planes with passengers, we
do make arrests from time to time. There
is no point fighting the drug war, if we
don't do it, because all the drug barons
will start to buy private jets to have
their criminality unhindered. Our focus
is on both private and public flights. We
search everybody.
"The NDLEA Act is so wide that we can
search any aircraft, pilot, crew members
and diplomats; we have the powers. When
Olusegun Obasanjo was President, he set
the precedent; when he was travelling, he
would say 'search me and everybody on my
entourage.' We already have that
precedent, which is good for the
country."
In a separate interview, the Deputy
Comptroller, Public Affairs, NIS,
Ekpedeme King, said stipulated procedures
had been followed on both commercial and
private aircraft vessels.
"There are certain agencies that work
together at the ports (air and sea); we
complement each other. While you check
the baggage, others check the passengers,
and another checks the food items you're
moving with," King said.