The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration against drug trafficking and its links to terrorism, as Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, formally declared a bilateral counter-narcotics workshop open in Abuja.
The high-level workshop, held at NDLEA headquarters on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, brought together top law enforcement officials from Nigeria and the United States to align strategies against emerging drug threats and strengthen joint operational frameworks.
Declaring the session open, General Marwa described the engagement as both strategic and timely, noting that it would foster solution-driven discussions aimed at producing a coordinated action plan for the next 12 months. He emphasized the urgent need to confront the growing nexus between illicit drug trafficking and terrorism, warning that proceeds from the drug trade continue to finance violent extremist networks globally.
Highlighting Nigeria’s strategic location, Marwa noted that increased crackdowns on drug cartels in Latin America have led to a shift in trafficking routes in Africa, positioning Nigeria as a critical transit hub for illicit drugs bound for Europe, North America, and Asia.
He reaffirmed NDLEA’s readiness to lead in executing agreed action points, stressing that enhanced intelligence sharing and joint operations with international partners, particularly the US, remain key to dismantling transnational criminal networks.
In her remarks, the US-DEA Country Attaché, Daphne Morrison, commended NDLEA’s progress under Marwa’s leadership and described the workshop as a clear demonstration of a united front against organized crime.
She noted that the partnership would focus on disrupting drug financing networks, targeting high-value operatives, and strengthening operational capacity through intelligence exchange and training.
Both sides expressed optimism that the outcomes of the workshop would translate into concrete actions capable of curbing drug trafficking, weakening criminal enterprises, and enhancing security in both nations.
