The United States commended the President Bola Tinubu-led government for its regional leadership and efforts in fighting drug trafficking and transnational organised crime at the sixth occasion of the US-Nigeria Binational Commission in Abuja.

“On transnational organised crime, the United States commended Nigeria’s efforts and regional leadership in the effort to combat drug trafficking,” a joint statement released by the two countries following the two-day meeting said.

The U.S. delegation was headed by Deputy Secretary of StateKurt Campbell and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee while Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar led the Nigerian interministerial delegation to the meeting.

Discussion at the meeting, which began on April 29 and ended on April 30, covered a wide range of topics and was based on the “strong” foundation agreed upon between Mr Tinubu and the U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken when the latter visited Nigeria earlier this year in January.

The joint statement also highlighted the U.S. government’s commitment to provide the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with the necessary resources in the fight against the trafficking of drugs. 

Nigeria’s efforts to investigate and prosecute trafficking cases were complimented.

“The United States also intends to provide additional support to the NDLEA to combat the trafficking of synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl and captagon, to step up the interdiction and dismantling of clandestine methamphetamine laboratories, and to facilitate more regional cooperation on countering drug trafficking and trafficking in persons,” the statement noted.

It added, “The United States complimented Nigeria’s substantial efforts to investigate and prosecute trafficking in persons cases, and both sides also discussed how to improve efforts internally and regionally.”