The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Sunday urged hoteliers in Nigeria to ensure that they always obtained accurate information on foreigners lodging in their Hotels and Guest Houses.
NDLEA’s, Director of Assets and Financial Investigation, Victoria Egbase told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that they should also guard against Nigerians using false names when patronising them.
Egbase said that the agency’s investigations had revealed that foreigners in some hotels were using Nigerian names, to enable them to engage in trafficking drugs from Nigeria to other countries.
“From our investigations, we have discovered that some foreigners in Nigerian hotels and guest houses come into Nigeria to take drugs to other countries.
“Our investigations have also showed that these foreigners use Nigerian names when booking into Nigerian hotels and guest houses.
We strongly believe that as hoteliers, they have very essential roles in ensuring security in Nigeria and joining us in fighting against drug offences.
“We are, therefore, calling on operators of hotels and guest houses to make sure that foreigners and Nigerians always provide them accurate bio-data about themselves,’’ she said.
The NDLEA official said that with reliable information from patrons of hotels in the country, it would become easier to detect criminals or impersonators in the nation’s hotels.
Egbase said that it was, therefore, imperative for all hotels and guest houses across the country to know and authenticate names and addresses of their customers.
The director said that the agency would not hesitate to accordingly charge any hotel where any foreigner or Nigerian is implicated for drug-related offences.
“You must know your customers. Know who is staying in your hotels and guest houses so that so that they do not involve you in drug related offences.
“We want operators of hotels and guest houses in Nigeria to know that whoever is implicated would be charged accordingly,’’ she added.
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