The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Arab Emirates’ National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA) to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking along the Nigeria-UAE corridor….
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Arab Emirates’ National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA) to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking along the Nigeria-UAE corridor.
The agreement was signed on Saturday, September 26, 2026, on the sidelines of the ongoing 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), said the agreement would deepen intelligence-sharing and joint enforcement operations between the two countries.
Marwa described the pact as the culmination of years of engagement between the two agencies.
“This agreement is the culmination of years of steady engagement between our two agencies. It will deepen intelligence-sharing and joint enforcement action along the Nigeria-UAE corridor.”
He disclosed that NDLEA had intercepted about 354.7 kilogrammes of illicit drugs, including cocaine, cannabis, tramadol, rohypnol, ecstasy and khat, in consignments destined for the UAE between 2021 and 2026.
According to him, the seizures led to the arrest and prosecution of 47 suspects.
Marwa said the figures highlighted the need for closer cooperation between both countries to disrupt trafficking networks operating along the route.
He also disclosed that NDLEA recorded more than 91,000 arrests nationwide between January 2021 and July 2026, including 243 suspected drug barons.
The agency, he said, seized more than 15.5 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals and secured 16,469 convictions during the period.
Marwa 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.
Under the new partnership, both agencies will strengthen the exchange of liaison personnel, operational information and technical expertise.
Marwa also said the UAE would provide Nigerian travellers with a comprehensive list of prohibited items to help prevent inadvertent violations of the country’s drug laws.
Chairman of the NDEA, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to working 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 agencies.
Both sides expressed confidence that the agreement would lead to stronger intelligence-sharing, more successful joint operations and the dismantling of trafficking networks along the Nigeria-UAE axis.
