LAGOS, Sept. 19, 2026,— The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has trained its canine unit handlers in advanced narcotics detection techniques to strengthen their operational capacity.
The refresher training, organised in collaboration with the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), was held at the NDLEA Canine Unit Facility in Lagos.
Two German technical dog-handling experts, Andreas Roscher and Jacqueline Shüler, facilitated the training, which focused on improving the skills of handlers and their service dogs.
Eleven personnel of the Canine Unit, comprising the unit commander, two veterinary doctors and eight dog handlers, participated in the exercise with their service dogs.
Five other officers from NDLEA commands in Lagos who indicated interest in joining the Canine Unit also participated in the training.
The course covered advanced obedience and control, narcotics detection techniques, scent imprinting and search patterns.
It also included practical simulation exercises at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) baggage hall, APM Terminals Apapa and the MMIA NAHCO export shed.
The participants were also trained on handler safety and tactics for deploying canine assets in high-risk operational areas.
The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), described the exercise as part of the agency’s efforts to build a highly skilled and professional workforce.
Marwa said the canine teams remained important assets in the agency’s efforts to detect and intercept illicit drugs.
“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,” he said.
He said the agency’s successes in intercepting concealed narcotics at airports, seaports and border points were partly due to the dedication and sharpened instincts of its dogs and handlers.
According to him, the partnership with the German counterparts will further strengthen the agency’s operational capacity and align its activities with global best practices.
Marwa, however, acknowledged manpower and logistics challenges facing the Canine Unit, including the need for additional service dogs, personnel and boarding facilities.
He said the agency needed to adequately cover the country’s seaports, international airports and land borders.
The NDLEA boss said plans were underway to address the identified gaps, adding that the recommendation to sustain the refresher training as an annual exercise would be considered.
