By Happiness Obi and Gbenga Onanuga

The presidency has approved the appointment of Shadrach Usman Haruna, as the new secretary of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

NDLEA

Haruna, a  Lawyer, takes over from Mrs Roli Bode George whose tenure as NDLEA secretary lapsed on June 2018, in accordance   to the NDLEA enabling Act, CAP N30 LFN 2004, which states that  “the secretary shall be appointed by the president and shall be the head of secretariat of the Agency, charged with the responsibility of administrative duties, keeping the books, setting agenda and implementing decisions.

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Haruna, a national and international law practitioner, was until his appointment a Criminal Justice Expert and Legal Adviser in the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, where he coordinated the transnational and international criminal justice work of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

He also led experts and trainers to provide technical assistance to member countries in diverse areas of justice needs which include: capacity building and institutional strengthening in areas such as money laundering, assets recovery, cybercrimes, virtual currencies, International cooperation, among others.

Prior to joining the Commonwealth Secretariat in 2009, Mr Haruna, worked with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, Austria, on Human Trafficking and Migrants Smuggling, as a Crime Prevention Expert. In that role, he provided training and institutional support to member States on the law reforms and on strategy to investigate and prosecute human trafficking.

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Haruna was former Federal Counsel and a Prosecutor with the Federal Ministry of Justice, where he served as Assistant Legal Adviser in several Federal Ministries and a pioneer Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons.

His appointment according to a statement signed by the anti-narcotics Principal Staff Officer, Public Affairs, Jonah Achema, takes immediate effect.

Vanguard.