By Nkechi Eze
A delegation of senior officials from the United States Africa Command has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening collaboration and support for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency following a high-level meeting with the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd).
The meeting, which took place on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, provided an opportunity for both sides to review the existing partnership between NDLEA and AFRICOM, with the US delegation commending the agency’s performance and assuring of enhanced cooperation in the ongoing fight against illicit drugs and transnational organised crime.
Disclosing details of the engagement in an official statement, the Director of Media and Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said the delegation was led by Philip Esch, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration Liaison to AFRICOM. In his remarks, Esch described the relationship between NDLEA and the US-DEA as not only a partnership but one of strategic importance to the United States government.
He praised Marwa’s leadership and his openness to international cooperation, noting that the collaboration between NDLEA and various US law enforcement agencies has continued to yield positive outcomes. “We appreciate all the support and the leadership you provide. Obviously, you know that the relationship between NDLEA and DEA is of utmost importance, and we appreciate the excellent relationship across US law enforcement with you and the NDLEA. We want that to continue and we are very happy that your tenure was renewed for another five years. We really look forward to continued engagement,” Esch said.
Another member of the delegation, James Elseth, also expressed enthusiasm about supporting NDLEA, describing the agency’s work as impactful not only within Nigeria but across the region and beyond. According to him, NDLEA’s operations contribute significantly to the security of other countries by disrupting organised criminal networks.
“I want to thank you, General, because you have a regional mindset and an international mindset, that is showing clearly in the scope and impact of your work. A lot of countries that we work with are only focused on their country. And just like DEA and FBI, we have an international mindset to try to stop organized crime from impacting our respective countries,” Elseth stated.
He further commended NDLEA for the effective maintenance and utilisation of equipment and facilities previously provided by the US government, assuring that two major support projects were already underway to further strengthen the agency’s capacity, in addition to ongoing training programmes and other forms of assistance.
Responding, Marwa expressed appreciation to the delegation for the visit and for the sustained support NDLEA has continued to receive from US-AFRICOM and other American law enforcement partners. He also congratulated Philip Esch for his years of meritorious service to the United States government.
“We appreciate very much the ongoing support from AFRICOM. I must also say that whatever we are achieving is due to this kind of support from you and our other international partners and more importantly due to the commitment and encouragement from the Renewed Hope administration of President Bola Tinubu,” Marwa said.
He urged the delegation to sustain and expand its support for NDLEA, particularly in view of the strong nexus between illicit drug trafficking and terrorism. Marwa highlighted critical areas where additional assistance would be beneficial, including advanced scanning equipment at airports, digital forensic tools, portable drug detection devices, forensic laboratory equipment and sniffer dogs.
The meeting reinforced the shared resolve of both NDLEA and US-AFRICOM to strengthen collaboration, enhance operational capacity and jointly confront the evolving threats posed by illicit drugs and organised crime within Nigeria and across the wider region.
