Nigeria is stepping up the fight against narco-terrorism as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA) deepen collaboration to dismantle drug cartels and disrupt the financial networks fueling violent extremism.
The renewed commitment was made at a high-level bilateral counter-narcotics workshop held at NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, this Tuesday
NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa described the engagement as strategic and timely, aimed at aligning both countries on major drug threats and producing a coordinated action plan for the next 12 months.
He warned that illicit drug trafficking is now a major funding source for terrorism worldwide.
Marwa insisted that, “by attacking the drug trade, we are simultaneously starving the engines of terrorism.”
He also revealed that Nigeria’s strategic location has made it a prime target for international drug syndicates, especially as enforcement pressure increases in Latin America, forcing cartels to shift operations towards Africa.
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According to him, many of the drugs trafficked through Nigeria are not for local use but are routed onward to Europe, North America, and Asia, highlighting the global scale of the threat.
He emphasized that the workshop will produce a clear operational framework, with Nigeria leading implementation locally, while the United States strengthens coordination and support.
Marwa stressed the need to synchronize intelligence, tactics, and long-term partnership.
On her part, US-DEA Country Attaché, Daphne Morrison, praised NDLEA’s performance under Marwa’s leadership, citing record-breaking seizures, arrests, and convictions.
She described the workshop as more than a meeting, calling it; “A declaration of our unified stand against transnational criminal organizations.”
Morrison noted that both agencies are aligning efforts for 2026 with a focus on intelligence sharing, joint operations, training, and targeting high-level drug networks.
She added that the strength of the partnership lies in shared responsibility and collective action to secure safer communities in both Nigeria and the United States.
Both sides agreed that the collaboration is no longer just about drugs, it is a coordinated global push to dismantle the financial backbone of terrorism.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
