The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Egypt to strengthen cooperation in the fight against illicit drug trafficking and substance abuse across Africa.
The proposed agreement is expected to enhance intelligence sharing, joint operations, capacity building and training between both countries as they intensify efforts to combat the activities of international drug cartels.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad, to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Marwa said the drug problem remains a global challenge that requires collaboration among nations, noting that criminal networks are increasingly seeking new routes and operational bases across Africa.
“The drug problem is a global challenge. Nowhere is untouched. The drug menace is everywhere in the world, and it is for this reason that we have this kind of collaboration,” he said.
According to him, the NDLEA already works closely with several international agencies, including the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the UK National Crime Agency, the French Police, the German Criminal Police and India’s Narcotics Control Bureau.
Marwa revealed that the agency recently dismantled major methamphetamine laboratories allegedly operated by foreign drug syndicates in Nigeria.
“They are coming this way from Mexico, and just about two months ago, we were able to take down a methamphetamine lab that was worth $362 million. The Mexicans themselves were manufacturing it in Nigeria, in the deep jungle, but we were able to take it down,” he said.
He added that another methamphetamine laboratory linked to foreign operators was also recently dismantled in a different part of the country.
The NDLEA boss expressed optimism that the proposed agreement with Egypt would pave the way for stronger institutional cooperation and coordinated efforts against narcotics trafficking.
Earlier, Ambassador Fouad stressed the importance of deeper collaboration between Nigeria and Egypt in addressing drug trafficking and abuse from a continental perspective.
He noted that both countries, as leading nations in Africa, have a responsibility to work together in confronting challenges that threaten public health, security and development.
“Egypt and Nigeria, being two prominent African countries, should be able to address the challenge of combating narcotics from a continental perspective,” Fouad said.
He added that the visit was aimed at exploring practical areas of cooperation and learning more about the NDLEA’s priorities in the fight against illicit drugs.
The proposed MoU comes amid growing efforts by Nigeria to strengthen partnerships with international law enforcement agencies and disrupt transnational drug trafficking networks operating within and beyond the continent.
