NDLEA tasks Air Peace crew on checking drug peddlers

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has urged Air Peace crew to consider their role in exposing drug couriers as a commitment to save lives.

A statement issued on Monday in Lagos by Air Peace Corporate Communications Manager, Mr Chris Iwarah, said the NDLEA gave the advice at the eight-day training for Air Peace Crew members.

The agency warned that those involved in drug peddling risked killing themselves or being executed if caught in some countries of the world with harsh anti-drug laws.

Mr Abbas Abdullahi, Principal Staff Officer (Administration and Logistics), Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, who led the NDLEA team, said drug couriers were daily devising new means of beating the system.

He, however, said the anti-drug agency was always a step ahead of the drug peddlers, who were frequently being exposed by NDLEA operatives.

Abdullahi urged Air Peace crew to be calm and cautious in observing passengers, saying drug couriers always left a trail.

The NDLEA operative warned the airline’s crew not to trust anyone and desist from making assumptions, stressing drug peddlers could put up deceptive appearances to escape being exposed.

He urged the crew to assist the agency in checking drug peddling to protect Nigeria’s image and save its citizens from being executed in some countries with harsh anti-drug laws.

Air Peace Cabin Services Manager, Ms Florence Opia, said the training was part of the sensitisation programme for the carrier’s crew in preparation for the airline’s international flight operations billed to launch soon.

She said Air Peace was planning to fly to Dubai, Sharjah, London, Houston, Johannesburg, Guangzhou-China, Mumbai, among other international destinations.

According to her, the carrier recently operated demonstration flights to Port Harcourt, Kano, Freetown, Dakar, Johannesburg and Sharjah.

Opia said the move was part of the requirements for induction of the Boeing 777 aircraft it plans to deploy for its long-haul services.