International Partners Back NDLEA’s Crackdown On Drug Traffickers

The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have assured Nigeria of support in its determination to tackle the problem of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the next five years.

The international partners gave the assurance in their remarks at the opening session of a two-day National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) Consultative Forum organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in Abuja on Monday.

At the event, the deputy head, the EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Zissimos Vergos, expressed EU preparedness to assist Nigeria in its ongoing drug control efforts.

He said, “Our presence here today is that of partners who have walked this uphill and rough road ourselves, and we continue doing that. We have learned valuable lessons from them, and we believe deeply that Nigeria’s stability and Europe’s security are inseparable. What affects the youth of Maiduguri or the streets of Ibadan does not stay within Nigerian borders.

Drug trafficking is a transnational challenge, and the master plan laid before this forum is Nigeria’s contribution to a transnational response.

“Nigeria has the talent, Nigeria has the institutions. Nigeria has the experience of having faced and surmounted enormous challenges before. What we have today is a roadmap, a new roadmap. We in the European Union, we are here as partners to build it together.

“I think we owe this to every Nigerian family that has been touched by addiction, by trafficking, by grief, or by the quiet despair of watching someone they love lose themselves. The same applies for every European family. Let us not leave this forum without giving them reason for hope. The European Union has also updated its own drug strategy and action plan. One of its main pillars is stronger international cooperation. We are here today to affirm this.”

Also, UNODC country representative, Mr. Chiekh Ousmane Touré, noted that the world is currently witnessing a profound shift in drug landscape, particularly with the rise of synthetic drugs, the increased sophistication of trafficking networks and the use of technology to expand illicit markets.

He said, “Nigeria stands at the intersections of this. This underscores the urgency of developing a master plan that is not only comprehensive and balanced, but also data-driven, forward-looking, and adaptable to emerging threats. UNODC remains fully committed to supporting Nigeria in this endeavor. Our partnership with NDLEA and the Government of Nigeria continues to grow from strengthening law enforcement capacity to advancing drug demand reduction to promoting evidence-based prevention and treatment, and enhancing international cooperation.”

Earlier, chairman/chief executive officer of NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd), stated that while Nigeria may celebrate the milestones of the past five years, the nation must confront a sobering reality of a mutating threat.

He  stated that, “UNODC projections suggest a 40 per cent spike in drug use across Africa by 2030. Recent reports from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) confirm that West Africa remains a high-pressure corridor for cocaine flows between Latin America and Europe. Our drug landscape is becoming increasingly complex as we battle the surge of synthetic substances and prescription drug abuse; the rise of poly-drug use and New Psychoactive Substances (NPS); the digitalisation of the drug trade, where encrypted platforms and dark-web operations shield illicit assets from traditional law enforcement.

“As Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, Nigeria cannot afford to be a passive observer. The risks to our youth, our workforce, and our national security are too high. This forum is therefore our battle room for the next five years. Our primary objective is to finalize the Zero Draft of the NDCMP 2026–2030—a roadmap built on the rigorous summative evaluation of our previous cycle.

“The new plan introduces two critical pillars to our strategy, that is: the Alternative Development and Sustainable Livelihoods that addresses the socio-economic drivers of the drug trade, as well as disrupting the illicit drug economy, using financial intelligence to choke the lifeblood of trafficking networks,” he said.