Nigeria and the United States have pledged to intensify their cooperation against transnational drug trafficking networks, warning that illicit narcotics are increasingly funding terrorism and destabilising regions far beyond Africa.
At a bilateral counter-narcotics workshop in Abuja, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA) reaffirmed their commitment to dismantling drug cartels and cutting off financial pipelines linked to violent extremism and terrorism.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), described the meeting as both strategic and timely, stressing that its aim was to align enforcement priorities between both countries and produce a coordinated action plan for the next twelve months.
“Our shared objective is to engage in frank, solution-driven discussions… that will culminate in a joint declaration of shared priorities,” Marwa said.
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Drug trafficking, he noted, is now closely tied to terrorist financing, a phenomenon widely referred to as narco-terrorism.
Both countries aim to enhance intelligence sharing, joint operations, and law-enforcement training in 2026.
Marwa warned that the evolving drug trade presents a direct threat to global security:
“Drug proceeds have become a major source of financing for terrorist networks and violent extremist groups. By attacking the drug trade, we are simultaneously starving the engines of terrorism.”
He added that many narcotics passing through Nigeria are not meant for domestic consumption but are destined for international markets, underscoring the transnational scale of the threat.
Marwa noted, “This partnership is not merely symbolic. It is operational, practical, and results-oriented. We are here to synchronise our intelligence, our tactics, and our vision.”
“The success of this workshop will not be measured merely by the quality of the discussions but by the effectiveness of the actions we take afterward,” he added.
The U.S. delegation, led by DEA Country Attaché Daphne Morrison, praised Nigeria’s recent enforcement record, highlighting record-breaking seizures, arrests, and convictions under Marwa’s leadership.
“This workshop is not merely a meeting; it is a declaration of our unified stand against transnational criminal organisations,” Morrison said.
She emphasised that the partnership would focus on disrupting drug-financing networks and targeting high-level operators.
“Our goal is to ensure that the collaboration is proactive and geared toward results,” she added.
Both sides stressed that the renewed partnership goes beyond diplomacy and is designed to deliver measurable outcomes.
The workshop is expected to produce a framework for cooperation, with Nigeria leading implementation locally while the United States provides strategic and technical support.