NDLEA, UAE Sign Pact to Shut Down Nigeria-UAE Drug Trafficking Route

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United Arab Emirates’ National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen intelligence-sharing and joint operations against drug trafficking between both countries.

The agreement was signed on Saturday, September 26, 2026, on the sidelines of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi, UAE, according to the statement signed and released to the press by the Director media and advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), said the agreement would deepen cooperation between the two agencies and “tighten the noose” on trafficking networks operating along the Nigeria-UAE corridor.

Marwa said the pact was the result of years of engagement between the agencies and would enhance the exchange of operational intelligence and coordinated enforcement actions.

He disclosed that the NDLEA had intercepted about 354.7kg of illicit drugs destined for the UAE between 2021 and 2026.

The seized substances, he said, included cocaine, cannabis, tramadol, rohypnol, ecstasy and khat, with 47 suspects arrested and prosecuted in connection with the seizures.

According to him, the development highlights the need for closer cooperation between Nigeria and the UAE, given the volume of trade and travel between both countries.

Marwa also cited the NDLEA’s nationwide enforcement record between January 2021 and July 2026, saying the agency had arrested more than 91,000 suspects, including 243 alleged drug barons.

He said the agency had also seized more than 15.5 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals and secured 16,469 convictions during the period.

Beyond enforcement, Marwa said more than 53,000 drug users had received counselling, treatment and rehabilitation, while the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign had reached nearly 5.9 million Nigerians through community and school-based engagements.

Under the new agreement, the agencies are expected to strengthen the exchange of liaison personnel, operational information and technical expertise.

Marwa said the UAE would also provide Nigerian travellers with a comprehensive list of prohibited items to help prevent inadvertent violations of its drug laws.

The Chairman of the NDEA, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to working with Nigeria to disrupt trafficking networks exploiting the close trade, travel and people-to-people ties between the two countries.

He described the MoU as a natural extension of the existing cooperation between the two agencies.

Both agencies expressed confidence that the agreement would lead to stronger intelligence-sharing, more coordinated operations and the dismantling of drug trafficking networks along the Nigeria-UAE route.