The fight against illicit drugs in Nigeria is set to receive a boost as the United States Africa Command (U.S. AFRICOM) pledges closer collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The announcement came on Tuesday during a meeting between a senior US AFRICOM delegation and NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), according to a statement from Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja.
The U.S. officials commended the strong partnership between NDLEA and AFRICOM and promised further support in capacity building and international cooperation.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Liaison to AFRICOM and leader of the delegation, Philip Esch, described the relationship between NDLEA and DEA as “not only a partnership but highly important to the US government”. He praised Marwa for his leadership and collaborative approach with international partners.
“We value the support and leadership you provide. The relationship between NDLEA and DEA is critical, and we look forward to continuing this engagement”, Esch said.
Another delegation member, James Elseth, highlighted NDLEA’s contribution to regional security and commended its international outlook. “Many countries focus only on themselves, but NDLEA shows a regional and international mindset in tackling organized crime”, he said.
Elseth also acknowledged NDLEA’s proper maintenance of U.S.-provided equipment and revealed that “two major projects are already underway to further support the agency, in addition to ongoing trainings”.
He also outlined specific areas of need, including scanning equipment at airports, digital forensic tools, portable drug detection devices, forensic laboratory equipment, and sniffer dogs, emphasizing the link between illicit drugs and terrorism as a key priority for NDLEA.
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