NDLEA, UAE’s NDEA sign MoU to deepen anti-narcotics cooperation

Crime Diary, News

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — 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 against drug trafficking between the two countries.

The agreement was signed on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, on the sidelines of the ongoing 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the agreement as the culmination of years of engagement between the two agencies.

Advertisement

Marwa said the MoU would deepen intelligence sharing and joint enforcement action along the Nigeria-UAE corridor.

According to a statement signed by NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, between 2021 and 2026, the agency intercepted about 354.7kg of illicit drugs, including cocaine, cannabis, tramadol, rohypnol, ecstasy and khat, concealed in consignments destined for the UAE.

He said the seizures resulted in the arrest and prosecution of 47 suspects, underscoring the need for stronger cooperation between the two countries.

Marwa also highlighted NDLEA’s nationwide record between January 2021 and July 2026, including more than 91,000 arrests, among them 243 suspected drug barons; seizure of over 15.5 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals; and 16,469 convictions.

He added that more than 53,000 drug users had received counselling, treatment and rehabilitation, while the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign had reached nearly 5.9 million Nigerians through community and school engagements.

The NDLEA chairman said the new partnership would build on existing cooperation, including the exchange of liaison personnel, sharing of operational information and technical collaboration.

He added that the UAE planned to provide Nigerian travellers with a comprehensive list of prohibited items to help prevent inadvertent violations.

The Chairman of NDEA, 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 the two countries.

He described the MoU as a natural progression of an already productive relationship between the two agencies.

Both agencies expressed confidence that the agreement would lead to stronger intelligence sharing, more effective joint operations and the dismantling of trafficking networks operating along the Nigeria-UAE corridor.

They said the partnership was in line with the shared global responsibility to combat organised drug trafficking championed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).