The Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has pledged greater support and partnership with Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
The UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Salem Saeed Musabbeh Alshamsi, made the pledge during a courtesy visit to the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
In a Press Release obtained by The News Chronicle, Ambassador Alshamsi commended Marwa for his outstanding leadership and the agency’s successes in combating drug trafficking.
“I’m here to commend your hard work and great leadership. We’ve been following your achievements closely, especially your success in stopping drugs from reaching the UAE. We are proud of your efforts and ready to deepen our cooperation with the NDLEA,” he said.
The envoy also extended an invitation to Marwa to visit the UAE for further discussions with his counterparts and the Dubai Police.
He expressed his government’s readiness to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the NDLEA to enhance intelligence sharing and joint operations.
“We need to exchange information about drug dealers and their networks. The UAE is ready to assist and support your agency in every possible way,” Alshamsi added.
In his response, Marwa thanked the Ambassador for the recognition and commended the UAE for its development strides and strong bilateral ties with Nigeria.
“I acknowledge the growing relationship between our two countries, especially in trade and cooperation. Drug trafficking is a global challenge that requires international collaboration, and we welcome this partnership,” Marwa said.
He revealed that in the past four years, the NDLEA had intercepted over 302 kilograms of illicit drugs destined for the UAE, seized either at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, or through courier services.
“As Africa’s leading anti-narcotics agency, we value cooperation with international partners like the UAE. We’re ready to visit and finalize the MoU to strengthen our joint fight against drug trafficking,” Marwa assured.
