US-INL commends NDLEA’s operational successes, pledges more support

The United States International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) has commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for its recent operational successes, assuring the agency of continued support to strengthen its counter-narcotics efforts.

The Country Director of INL Nigeria, Derek Tolliver, gave the commendation on Thursday, August 20, 2026, when he led a delegation from the United States Government Accountability Office on a courtesy visit to the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Tolliver said the visit was aimed at strengthening existing cooperation between the United States and Nigeria in the fight against illicit drugs, adding that he was looking forward to working closely with the NDLEA and building on previous INL programmes.

He also congratulated Marwa and the agency on what he described as remarkable achievements recorded in recent months.

According to him, the growth of the NDLEA under Marwa’s leadership and the recognition it has received nationally and internationally were worthy of commendation.

Responding, Marwa congratulated Tolliver on his appointment as INL Country Director in Nigeria and expressed appreciation for the longstanding partnership between the Nigerian government and the United States.

The NDLEA chairman specifically acknowledged the contributions of INL, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other US agencies to the agency’s operations.

Marwa said the support received from the United States had contributed significantly to the NDLEA’s operational capacity, particularly in transportation, forensic investigation and technical capabilities.

He recalled that shortly after assuming office as NDLEA chairman in 2021, the agency distributed operational vehicles provided by INL to its commands across the country.

Marwa also highlighted the role of US assistance in the development and modernisation of the agency’s forensic laboratories.

He said the country previously had only one forensic laboratory in Lagos, which was inadequate to serve the entire country, before INL supported its modernisation and the establishment of additional facilities in Abuja and Enugu.

According to him, the laboratories and the equipment provided through the partnership have become critical to the agency’s drug enforcement operations.

He cited the recent dismantling of a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in a forest in Ogun State as an example of how the forensic capabilities had assisted the agency in identifying precursor chemicals recovered during the operation.

Marwa disclosed that forensic analysis revealed that one of the precursor chemicals was linked to the production of fentanyl, describing the discovery as a serious development in the country’s fight against illicit drugs.

He said without the modern forensic tools provided through the partnership, the chemical could have gone undetected because it constituted only a small portion of the precursor materials recovered.

The NDLEA boss consequently appealed for continued US support, particularly in the areas of operational logistics, training and other capacity-building initiatives.

He assured the visiting delegation that the agency remained committed to deepening its partnership with the United States and other international partners in tackling drug trafficking and related crimes.

The meeting underscored the growing international cooperation around Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen drug-law enforcement, intelligence gathering, forensic capabilities and operational response.