NDLEA has requested advanced drug detection and forensic equipment from US-AFRICOM to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking, terrorism, and organised crime
NDLEA Seeks Advanced Drug Detection Equipment from US-AFRICOM to Tackle Terrorism, Trafficking
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has formally requested advanced drug detection and forensic equipment from the United States Africa Command (US-AFRICOM) to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against illicit drug trafficking and its growing links to terrorism and organised crime.
The request was made on Tuesday during a strategic meeting between the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), and a delegation of senior AFRICOM officials at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking at the meeting, Marwa underscored the urgent need for enhanced operational capacity, listing critical equipment such as airport scanning systems, digital forensic tools, portable drug detection devices, modern forensic laboratory equipment, and trained sniffer dogs. According to him, these resources are essential to dismantling sophisticated drug networks that also serve as major funding sources for terrorist and criminal groups.
“We deeply appreciate the ongoing support from AFRICOM,” Marwa stated. “Our successes so far are a product of strong collaboration with international partners and the encouragement provided by the Renewed Hope administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
He further called for sustained assistance from AFRICOM, stressing that intelligence and operational evidence clearly show a dangerous nexus between illicit drug trafficking, terrorism, and transnational crime.
Leading the US delegation, Philip Esch, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA) Liaison to AFRICOM, described the partnership between NDLEA and the US-DEA as longstanding and strategic to United States government interests. He commended Marwa’s leadership, transparency, and openness to international cooperation, while also congratulating him on the renewal of his five-year tenure as NDLEA chairman.
Another member of the delegation, James Elseth, reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting NDLEA, noting that the agency’s operations play a critical role in Nigeria’s internal security and have far-reaching implications for regional and global safety. He also praised NDLEA for its effective maintenance of previously supplied US equipment and disclosed that two major support initiatives, including specialised training programmes, are already underway.
The NDLEA’s request comes at a time when AFRICOM has announced the recent delivery of critical military supplies to Nigeria, aimed at bolstering ongoing security operations across the country. Read More
