Nigeria and Egypt are set to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fight against illicit drug trafficking and substance abuse as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Egyptian authorities move towards signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on intelligence sharing, joint operations and training.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad, during a courtesy visit.
Marwa described the proposed agreement as a major step towards institutionalising collaboration between both countries in tackling the growing global drug menace.
“The drug problem is a global challenge. Nowhere is untouched. It is for this reason that we collaborate with agencies across the world, including those in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and India,” he said.
He noted that Nigeria was excited to expand such cooperation to Egypt through the proposed MoU, stressing that African countries must work together to stop international drug cartels from using the continent as an alternative trafficking route.
Marwa revealed that the NDLEA recently dismantled a methamphetamine laboratory worth about 362 million dollars allegedly operated by Mexican drug cartels in a remote Nigerian forest. He added that another meth lab linked to Mexican nationals had also been shut down in a separate operation.
According to him, the successes underscore the need for stronger international partnerships to combat transnational organised crime.
He expressed optimism that the planned MoU would enhance intelligence exchange, joint enforcement operations and capacity building between the two countries’ anti-narcotics agencies.
Earlier, Ambassador Fouad said Egypt was keen to deepen cooperation with Nigeria in addressing the growing threat of narcotics trafficking across Africa.
He described Nigeria and Egypt as two leading African nations with a shared responsibility to tackle the menace from a continental perspective.
The envoy said his visit was aimed at exploring practical areas of collaboration, understanding the NDLEA’s priorities and identifying ways Egypt could support Nigeria’s efforts in combating illicit drug trafficking.
The proposed agreement is expected to further strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries while enhancing coordinated efforts against transnational drug crimes across Africa.
