February 19, (THEWILL) – The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc has donated medical equipment to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.
The donation, presented on Tuesday at the Lagos Airport, aims to support the NDLEA’s efforts in tackling drug trafficking and ensuring the well-being of its personnel and detainees.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mrs. Boma Ukwunna, Executive Director, Cargo Services, SAHCO, who represented the company’s Managing Director, Mrs. Adenike Aboderin, underscored the devastating effects of drug abuse on society and commended the NDLEA’s vigilance in combating illicit drug activities at the airport and across Nigeria.
“Drug abuse remains a major challenge in Nigeria and across the world, especially among our youths.
“We appreciate the NDLEA’s dedication to curbing this menace. As a company, SAHCO stands firmly behind the agency in its mission to rid the country of illicit drugs,” Ukwunna said.
She added that the donated medical items would assist the command in providing urgent medical attention to suspects, NDLEA personnel, and other stakeholders in the aviation sector.
Items donated include an incubator, centrifuge machine, sphygmomanometer, weighing scale, poison box, lipid profile meter, staining rack, and ambu bags.
Receiving the items, Strategic Commander of NDLEA, MMIA Command, Usman Wadar, expressed appreciation for SAHCO’s generosity, noting that the medical equipment would enhance operational efficiency and improve detainee welfare.
“We have enjoyed great cooperation from stakeholders, especially SAHCO, over the years. The clinic we established at the command was created to ensure that suspects in custody receive necessary medical attention, as their rights must be protected despite their offenses,” Wadar said.
The NDLEA commander also highlighted the growing drug abuse problem in Nigeria, citing a 2018 United Nations Drug Survey, which revealed that over 14 million Nigerians had experimented with or become addicted to drugs.
However, he noted that recent data suggests a decline in illicit drug activities, attributing the success to the NDLEA’s relentless crackdown on drug trafficking.
“In 2022, we seized 21 tonnes of illicit drugs; in 2023, it increased to 23 tonnes. However, due to our intensified efforts, the figure dropped drastically to just seven tonnes in 2024,” he revealed.
Wadar reaffirmed the NDLEA’s commitment to combating drug-related crimes and expressed readiness to strengthen partnerships with SAHCO and other industry stakeholders to ensure safer air travel and a drug-free society.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
