The U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has assured the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) that it will build on the existing partnership between the two agencies.

The agency also commended the NDLEA on its operational successes in the fight against illicit drug abuse and peddling in the country.

The assurance and commendation came from the Country Director of INL Nigeria, Derek Tolliver, on Thursday in Abuja, when he led a delegation from the U.S. Government Accountability Office to meet with the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig. Gen Buba Marwa.

While thanking Mr Marwa for taking the time to meet with his delegation, Mr Tolliver said the meeting was to introduce himself to the NDLEA chairman.

He also said the department would love to continue building on the INL programmes in the country.

“We want to continue the great work and build upon the work of our previous INL programmes here,” he said.

He added that the agency looked forward to following up with the NDLEA to raise the INL programme goals.

He congratulated the NDLEA on all the successes the agency had recorded over the past months.

“It is phenomenal how much this organisation has grown, and the accolades that are now shown in the media,” he said.

In his response, Mr Marwa congratulated Tolliver on his appointment as the country director of INL in Nigeria, while expressing gratitude for the enduring positive relationship between Nigeria and the U.S. government.

He thanked the INL for the support the NDLEA had continued to receive from them and other U.S. agencies.

He noted that whatever successes the NDLEA had recorded, the INL was part of it.

Mr Marwa said, “You have assisted us in the past with vehicles when we needed operational vehicles to move. And I recall that in 2021, when I assumed the chairmanship of this Agency, one of the earliest actions that I took was to distribute INL-provided vehicles to the commands.

“We used to have just the one forensic lab in Lagos for the whole country. The INL modernised it with new equipment and better-constructed buildings.

“The additional forensic laboratories that were introduced here in Abuja to cater for the North, and another one in Enugu to cater for the South-East and South-South, the INL supported us with some of the equipment.

“These forensic labs have been central to our law enforcement efforts. In fact, with the seizure about two months ago and dismantling of the meth lab in the deep forest of Ogun, we relied on the forensic equipment to determine the precursor chemicals.

“We discovered one of the precursor chemicals was in fact for the production of Fentanyl, which is bad news. Nobody wants to hear that word. It’s bad enough to be dealing with meth laboratories; and we very much appreciate that contribution.”

Mr Marwa added that without those modern tools, the agency’s achievements would have gone unnoticed.

He also asked for more support for NDLEA in logistics and training, among other areas.

(NAN)