The United States Government has donated a set of body scanner to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for use at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Terence McCulley, handed over the scanner to the Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, on Thursday at the MMIA.
Some of the officials in attendance were the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren; and Project Co-ordinator, US Africa Command, Lt Col. Tim Hafner.
The US Ambassador said the new scanner, purchased and installed at $225,000, was donated to the Nigerian Government by the US Africa Command.
McCulley said the new scanner, which is capable of detecting drugs and bombs, was meant to compliment the war against terrorism and narcotics.
He said prior to the purchase of the new scanner, the US Mission had bought four other scanners and four new drug and explosive-detecting “Itemizers” for use at Nigeria’s four international airports in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt.
He said, “Drug trafficking is a global problem that requires a global solution. Narcotics trafficking is a multibillion dollar a year business that destroys the lives of countless people, especially the youth. We will continue to fight side-by-side with you against this scourge.
“And in this spirit of cooperation, it gives me great pleasure to be with you today to dedicate an important new tool in Nigeria’s anti-drug trafficking arsenal-a second full body scanner for MMIA, that will enable NDLEA colleagues to perform quick, non-evasive searches of suspected drug traffickers and to locate illegal drugs or other contraband. This second scanner will enable NDLEA to have one scanner dedicated to arriving passengers, and one for departing passengers.”
Giade, who expressed Nigeria’s gratitude for the scanner, said the agency would not relent in its efforts to combat the drug trafficking business in the nation’s airport.
Source: http://www.punchng.com
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