The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has deployed its former public relations officer, Commander Mitchell Ofoyeju, to head the Tin-Can Island Port Command in Lagos in a move aimed at strengthening its drug war efforts at the nation’s ports.

Sources within the agency confirmed that the appointment takes immediate effect, with Commander Ofoyeju taking over from Commander Aminu Abubakar.

“The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has appointed Commander Mitchell Ofoyeju, former spokesperson for the Agency, as Commander of the Tin-Can Island Port Strategic Command, Lagos,” the source said.

“Commander Mitchell is a seasoned and astute officer with a wealth of experience in media relations, drug law enforcement, and drug demand reduction.

“He has served on numerous committees, including the special purpose committee and the planning and organising committee for the 31st meeting of Heads of Drug Law Enforcement Agencies in Africa (HONLAF), hosted by Nigeria in Abuja in 2023.”

Before his appointment, Ofoyeju was the Agency’s reform champion with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).and the focal person on implementing the presidential priorities and ministerial deliverables of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government. Some key positions he held include Principal Staff Officer in the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer’s office, Assistant Director of Planning, and Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics at the national headquarters of the anti-narcotics agency.

The mass communication graduate also holds a master’s degree in marketing. He is a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) master trainer on Drug Prevention, Treatment and Care (DPTC) and a master trainer on Right-Based Border Management facilitated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

He is the author of ‘The Last Syndicate’ and ‘A Dance Against Taboo’, among other publications. Ofoyeju has undertaken numerous security training courses on investigation techniques, cross-border trafficking, anti-corruption, human rights protection, transparency, and good governance. He is now tasked with combating drug trafficking at one of the busiest ports in Nigeria.