The Federal Government (FG) has approved N5 billion for the construction of barracks for the officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, disclosed this while speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Wednesday.

The AGF said this became necessary to further secure the lives and property of the NDLEA operatives, who he said have been making tremendous success in the fight against drug cartels and barons.

He said: “As you are aware, there has been renewed and sustained onslaught by the NDLEA against drug cartels and barons. Within the three quarters of 2023, about 18,940 arrests were affected by the NDLEA and indeed drugs worth an estimated value of over N40 billion were confiscated.

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“The successes that were recorded unfortunately translated to unprecedented threats and attacks on personnel; the officers, men, and other ranks of the agency.

”Thus, the need has arisen for the Nigerian government to consider the possibility of taking security measures that will now provide the desired protection to officers and men of the NDLEA.”

Malami further revealed that the council gave approval for the construction of two categories of barracks totalling 192 flats.

“Accordingly, two contracts were awarded to two different contractors. The first one is for the construction of barracks comprising a total 92 units of three bedroom semi-detached flats for Narcotics Superintendents and Narcotics Assistant Superintendents at the cost of N2,267,785,450.83.

“The second contract was in the sum of N2,889,480,320.55 for the construction of barracks comprising a total 100 units of two and three bedroom semi-detached flats for Narcotics Superintendents and Narcotics Agents,” the AGF disclosed.

The Star