By Gabriel Ameh
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to strengthen cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking.
The agreement was signed on Saturday, September 26, 2026, on the sidelines of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), said the agreement followed years of engagement between the two agencies.
According to Marwa, the MoU will strengthen intelligence-sharing, operational information exchange and joint enforcement efforts targeting drug trafficking along the Nigeria-UAE corridor.
He disclosed that between 2021 and 2026, NDLEA intercepted about 354.7kg of illicit drugs concealed in consignments destined for the UAE.
The seized substances, according to the NDLEA chairman, included cocaine, cannabis, tramadol, rohypnol, ecstasy and khat. He added that the interceptions led to the arrest and prosecution of 47 suspects.
Marwa said the figures showed the need for stronger cooperation between Nigeria and the UAE in tackling cross-border drug trafficking.
He also outlined the agency’s nationwide activities between January 2021 and July 2026, saying NDLEA had recorded more than 91,000 arrests, including 243 alleged drug barons.
According to him, the agency also seized more than 15.5 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals and secured 16,469 convictions within the period.
He added that more than 53,000 drug users had received counselling, treatment and rehabilitation, while the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign had reached nearly 5.9 million Nigerians through community and school engagements.
Marwa said the new partnership would build on existing cooperation between NDLEA and the UAE agency, including the exchange of liaison personnel, operational information and technical expertise.
He also disclosed that the UAE plans to provide Nigerian travellers with a comprehensive list of prohibited items to help prevent inadvertent violations of its drug laws.
On his part, the Chairman of NDEA, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to working with Nigeria to disrupt drug trafficking networks operating along the two countries’ trade and travel routes.
He described the MoU as a further development of the existing relationship between the two agencies.
Both agencies expressed optimism that the agreement would lead to stronger intelligence-sharing, improved joint enforcement operations and increased efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks along the Nigeria-UAE corridor.
The partnership is expected to support broader international efforts against illicit drug trafficking, in line with the global cooperation framework promoted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
