Felix Mbata, Lagos state
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, marking a new chapter in the fight against drug trafficking between both countries.
The MoU was signed on Saturday, 26th September 2026, on the sidelines of the ongoing 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice holding in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), said the agreement will tighten the noose on drug trafficking, describing it as the culmination of years of steady engagement between the two agencies.
Marwa noted that the pact will deepen intelligence-sharing, exchange of liaison personnel, sharing of operational information, and joint enforcement action along the Nigeria-UAE corridor. He added that it includes technical cooperation and plans for the UAE to provide Nigerian travellers a comprehensive list of prohibited items to guard against inadvertent violations.
Giving figures to underscore the urgency of the partnership, Marwa disclosed that between 2021 and 2026, NDLEA intercepted about 354.7kg of illicit drugs including cocaine, cannabis, tramadol, rohypnol, ecstasy and khat, concealed in consignments going to the UAE, resulting in the arrest and prosecution of 47 suspects.
He further highlighted NDLEA’s nationwide record between January 2021 and July 2026, which includes over 91,000 arrests, among them 243 drug barons, the seizure of more than 15.5 million kilograms of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals, 16,469 convictions, and the counselling, treatment and rehabilitation of over 53,000 drug users. He added that the Agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign had reached nearly 5.9 million Nigerians through community and school engagements.
In his remarks, the Chairman of NDEA, His Excellency Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to working closely with Nigeria to disrupt trafficking networks exploiting the strong trade, travel and people-to-people ties between both nations, describing the MoU as a natural evolution of an already productive relationship.
In conclusion, both agencies expressed confidence that the agreement would translate into stronger intelligence-sharing, more successful joint operations and the dismantling of trafficking networks operating along the Nigeria-UAE axis, in line with the shared global responsibility championed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).