The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has declared that Nigeria is no longer a permissive ground for international drug cartels.
 
This statement comes after the significant number of arrests, seizures, and convictions of drug traffickers recorded by the current leadership of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the past five years.
 
The UNODC Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr Cheikh Ousmane Toure, stated this in Abuja yesterday, during a ceremony to hand over audiovisual interview rooms equipped with modern technology provided by UNODC and funded by the United States International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (US-INL).
 
Toure emphasised that transnational drug trafficking is a major destabilising force in the world, fuelling corruption, violence, and exploiting vulnerable communities.

He commended NDLEA under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), for its courage and professionalism in confronting criminal networks.
Toure expressed gratitude to the U.S. government for funding the project and urged the replication of the facility in all NDLEA commands and formations nationwide.
 
In his remarks at the ceremony, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Marwa, thanked U.S.-INL and UNODC for their support, expressing readiness for future challenges.
 
He highlighted the importance of the upgraded facilities in enhancing the integrity of NDLEA’s investigative processes and advancing their digital transformation.

Marwa emphasised the significance of the modern interview and interrogation rooms in aligning with international standards and reinforcing the agency’s commitment to transparency and the rule of law.
 
He assures that the equipment would lead to improved capacity, higher investigative standards, and more effective justice delivery.