Nigeria no longer permissive ground for drug cartels, says UNODC

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has said Nigeria is no longer a permissive environment for international drug trafficking networks, citing intensified enforcement actions by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over the past five years.

UNODC Country Representative in Nigeria, Cheikh Ousmane Toure, made the remarks in Abuja on Monday during a handover ceremony of modern audiovisual interview rooms to the NDLEA, funded by the United States International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (US-INL).

According to a report by TheVerdict news, Toure said the strengthened operations of the NDLEA under its current leadership have significantly disrupted transnational drug syndicates operating through Nigeria.

“Transnational drug trafficking remains one of the most destabilising forces of our time; it fuels corruption, funds violence, destroys communities, and exploits the most vulnerable,” he said.

He noted that Nigeria’s strategic position in West Africa has long made it a target and transit hub for criminal networks operating between Latin America, Asia and Africa.

However, he said enforcement gains under the leadership of NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), had changed the narrative.

“Since his appointment in 2021, the agency has significantly strengthened enforcement, increased major seizures, and expanded prevention and treatment initiatives,” Toure said.

“The result has been clear: it has sent very strong messages to transnational criminal organisations because Nigeria is no longer a permissive environment.”