A senior United States official has commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for dismantling four methamphetamine laboratories in Nigeria this year, describing the operations as evidence of growing cooperation between both countries in the fight against illicit drugs.
The US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs for Africa and the Middle East, Michael Gonzales, said the agency’s successes underscored the strategic importance of Nigeria’s counter-narcotics efforts to Washington.
Gonzales spoke on Tuesday during a visit to the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja, where he praised the agency’s operational achievements and reaffirmed the importance of continued collaboration between the two countries.
He explained that Nigeria was his first destination after assuming office four months ago because of its economic and strategic influence on the African continent, as well as the NDLEA’s record in combating drug trafficking.
According to him, the agency’s achievements and its cooperation with other Nigerian security institutions made the country a priority for engagement.
“As a leader and an economic powerhouse on the continent, Nigeria was a clear choice, particularly because of the leadership and impressive successes that the NDLEA and its inter-agency partners have delivered repeatedly,” Gonzales said.
He added that the visit was intended to provide firsthand insight into the agency’s operations and strengthen the existing partnership between the NDLEA and the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
Gonzales specifically highlighted the four methamphetamine laboratory seizures recorded by the agency this year, noting that the operations reflected the effectiveness of intelligence-led investigations, inter-agency collaboration, operational coordination and prosecution.
His commendation comes as the United States intensifies efforts to disrupt drug-trafficking networks, particularly cartels operating in the Western Hemisphere, while seeking stronger international cooperation to combat the production and distribution of illicit substances.
