A senior US State Department official has praised Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency for dismantling four methamphetamine laboratories this year, warning that drug trafficking networks are shifting routes across Africa as enforcement pressure increases elsewhere.
Michael Gonzales, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs for Africa and the Middle East, made the remarks on Tuesday during a visit to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) headquarters in Abuja. He said Nigeria was his first choice for an official visit following his appointment four months ago, citing the agency’s operational record and cooperation with US authorities.
NDLEA chief Mohamed Buba Marwa said the agency had dismantled four laboratories allegedly linked to Mexican cartels, including facilities in Ogun, Oyo, Enugu and Ebonyi states. Operations in Ogun and Oyo led to the arrests of Mexican nationals and Nigerian collaborators, according to the agency.
Gonzales said the operations demonstrated the importance of intelligence-led investigations, cross-border cooperation and prosecution. He warned that pressure on drug cartels in the Americas could redirect trafficking routes towards Africa, with consignments moving onwards to Europe and other markets.
Marwa said US support had strengthened the NDLEA’s forensic analysis, investigative capacity, training and equipment. He reported that the agency had arrested 96,157 drug suspects, seized more than 15.8 million kilograms of illicit drugs and secured 16,691 convictions over the past five years.
He urged Washington to maintain or increase its support, arguing that drug trafficking, arms smuggling and terrorism were increasingly interconnected across West Africa and the wider Sahel region.
