NDLEA, US DEA strengthen partnership against narco-terrorism
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration in the fight against drug cartels and the transnational financing of terrorism.
The commitment was made at a bilateral strategic counter-narcotics workshop held at NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Opening the workshop, NDLEA Chairman and CEO, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), described the session as “strategic and timely,” aimed at aligning law enforcement leadership from Nigeria and the United States on the most pressing drug-related threats affecting both countries and the wider international community.
Marwa emphasized the link between illicit drug trafficking and terrorism, noting that “drug proceeds have become a major source of financing for terrorist networks and violent extremist groups around the world. By attacking the drug trade, we are simultaneously starving the engines of terrorism.”
He further highlighted Nigeria’s strategic role in global trafficking networks, warning that “as enforcement pressure intensifies on drug cartels in Latin America, criminal networks are increasingly targeting Africa, with Nigeria becoming a key transit hub. Most illicit drugs entering Nigeria are destined for Europe, North America, and Asia, underscoring the transnational nature of the threat and the urgency for coordinated action.”
The NDLEA boss stated that the workshop provides a unique opportunity to enhance intelligence-driven operations, strengthen joint initiatives, and build a unified front against criminal networks. He added that Nigeria would take the lead in executing the action plan developed during the workshop, with the US providing alignment and support where necessary.
Ms. Daphne Morrison, DEA Country Attaché in Nigeria, praised NDLEA’s achievements under Marwa, calling them “a testament to his dedication and the successes of his war against drug abuse.” She reiterated DEA’s commitment to a proactive, results-oriented partnership, focusing on intelligence sharing, joint operations, and capacity-building for NDLEA operatives.
Morrison also stressed that the partnership is operational and practical, not merely symbolic, and called on participants to use the workshop to develop “a robust, actionable, and innovative strategy to protect our communities, empower our personnel, and secure a safer future for Nigeria and the United States.”
The workshop marks a renewed commitment by both agencies to disrupt drug trafficking networks, dismantle criminal enterprises, and counter the financing of terrorism through narcotics.
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