War on Drugs: US Approves Forensic and Intelligence Support to NDLEA

The United States government has announced a plan that would bolster the war on illicit drugs in Nigeria.

The support will enhance the forensic and chemical analysis, intelligence gathering and prosecution capabilities of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The United States Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is coordinating the response.

NDLEA Media Director Femi Babafemi made the announcement in a statement on Monday.

The support follows requests from the President, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired) in a series of meetings with US officials in Abuja and Washington, D.C.

The endorsement letter to Marwa stated that the project would be implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, in Nigeria.

The support will boost the NDLEA's intelligence-focused investigations through various resources, legal books, an e-library for prosecutions and more.

Babafemi said the agency would be better equipped to pursue cases with solid evidence, using improved collection, processing and custody procedures.

The US government communication expressed confidence that the project “will be an important step in advancing our common goal of a united, peaceful and stable Nigeria.”