The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Arab Emirates’ National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA) to strengthen cooperation against drug trafficking between the two countries.
The agreement was signed on Saturday in Abu Dhabi on the sidelines of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), said the agreement marked a new phase in the agencies’ efforts to disrupt international drug-trafficking networks operating along the Nigeria-UAE corridor.
Focus on Intelligence and Joint Enforcement
Marwa described the agreement as the culmination of sustained engagement between the Nigerian and Emirati drug-enforcement authorities.
He said the MoU would facilitate deeper intelligence-sharing and strengthen joint enforcement operations against networks involved in the movement of illicit drugs between both countries.
The UAE’s National Drug Enforcement Authority is responsible for combating drug trafficking, dismantling smuggling and distribution networks and coordinating with relevant authorities to prevent the movement of narcotics through the country.
The agreement is particularly significant because the Nigeria-UAE route has featured in several drug-trafficking investigations and seizures involving Nigerian suspects and consignments destined for the Gulf region.
International Cooperation
The development comes as Nigeria continues to expand international partnerships aimed at tackling transnational organised crime and illicit drug networks.
The NDLEA has recently reported several major drug seizures and arrests as part of its domestic enforcement operations, including investigations involving international trafficking networks.
The new bilateral framework is expected to provide a more structured channel for exchanging operational intelligence and coordinating enforcement responses.
Marwa said the cooperation would strengthen the capacity of both agencies to identify trafficking networks and disrupt their activities.
The agreement also underscores the growing importance of international cooperation in tackling drug trafficking, which increasingly involves multiple jurisdictions, transit points and organised criminal networks.