Barge operators, exporters advised to join NDLEA in drug trafficking fights

Nigerian barge operators and exporters are advised to join the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse in the country.

Barges and trucks oftentimes are said to be the targeted means of trafficking hard and illicit drugs by traffickers.

Hon. Bunmi Olumekun, the President of Barge Operators Association of Nigeria (BOAN), gave this advice in a remark he delivered at the 2025 World Narcotics Day celebration in Apapa, Lagos.

The event, marked recently, was put together by the Apapa Port Narcotics Command, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Hon. Bunmi Olumekun, who is also the President of the Association of West African Exporters and Maritime Professionals (AWAEMAP), enjoined his members to exercise caution and know the kind of cargo loaded on their barges and trucks.

Olumekun said “everybody has to join hands with NDLEA to fight this drug trafficking because the bulk of illicit drugs comes to us as exporters or as barge operators. If we do not join in the fight against it, it will fight us back because these people, these drug barons or these drug abuse people are in our organisations.

“They will dubiously load their illicit drugs onto our  trucks and barges, and you know the cost of all these things lies on us. The cost of exporting 1 by 20 container now is about 20 million dollars. We need to be vigilant.”

While urging members of the two associations and the public to invest in prevention than cure, Olumekun harped on the need for various agencies in the port to join the NDLEA in public education, engagement and enlightenment to the educate the citizens against drug abuse, peddling and trafficking.

“If we do not educate them or to let them reason why they should not be involved in taking, trafficking and peddling drugs, this will fall back to us. They will continue to use our trucks and our vessels,” he said.

Hon. Bunmi Olumekun pledged the support of both associations to the NDLEA in the fight against illicit drugs trafficking. “I want to assure the management of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the fight against drug trafficking and peddling in the country. We are going to ensure that our trucks and vessels are not used by traffickers,” said he.