By Victor Asije
Lagos – 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.
