The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has pledged to collaborate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to prevent illicit drug trafficking and substance abuse within Nigeria’s aviation industry.

The association said maintaining the integrity of pilots and aircraft engineers was critical to ensuring flight safety and protecting national security.

NAAPE President, Captain Bunmi Gindeh, made the commitment during a courtesy visit to the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier-General Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

The meeting focused on strengthening the role of aviation professionals in detecting and preventing drug-related activities within the sector.

Gindeh said the fight against illicit drugs was increasingly connected to aviation safety, noting that pilots and maintenance engineers operated in critical areas of the industry, including cockpits, hangars and pre-flight operations.

He described the visit as a practical step towards collaboration, warning that airports remained vulnerable points for drug trafficking and that the compromise of an aviation professional could pose a direct threat to flight safety and national security.

In a statement issued on Monday by NAAPE’s Public Relations Officer, Engr. Blessing N. Ahmadu, Gindeh said aviation workers were often well positioned to identify warning signs such as unusual changes in colleagues’ behaviour, unexplained wealth and suspicious cargo-handling activities.

He said NAAPE would not remain passive in the anti-drug campaign, stressing the association’s responsibility to promote professional integrity, fitness for duty and a workplace culture where concerns could be reported before escalating into serious threats.

To strengthen the partnership, NAAPE proposed four key measures: joint awareness and integrity programmes for pilots, engineers and aviation students; confidential reporting channels between NAAPE branches and NDLEA; joint fitness-for-duty and substance-abuse prevention initiatives across airlines and maintenance facilities; and continuous professional training to improve the early detection of behavioural and security concerns.

Gindeh also praised Marwa for his leadership of the NDLEA and the agency’s intensified efforts to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse, particularly its focus on dismantling trafficking networks, tracking cartel finances and reducing drug demand among young Nigerians.

During the visit, NAAPE presented Marwa with an “Award for Excellence in Leadership” in recognition of his contributions to the fight against drug trafficking and drug abuse.

Marwa welcomed the proposed collaboration, describing aviation workers as important gatekeepers whose vigilance could help prevent the movement of illicit drugs across international borders.

The NDLEA chairman said the aviation industry was vital to Nigeria’s economy and international reputation and should therefore be protected from infiltration by criminal networks.

He added that the willingness of pilots and engineers to support intelligence sharing would strengthen the agency’s operational effectiveness at international airports.

Marwa further said partnerships with professional associations such as NAAPE would enable the NDLEA to extend its prevention efforts into workplaces, training institutions and professional communities, rather than relying solely on enforcement.

Both organisations agreed to maintain regular engagement and explore additional areas of cooperation aimed at strengthening professional integrity, preventing substance abuse and safeguarding Nigeria’s aviation system.