The United States has commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for dismantling four methamphetamine laboratories linked to Mexican drug cartels in Nigeria, describing the operations as a demonstration of effective intelligence-led policing and international cooperation.
The commendation came from the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) for Africa and the Middle East, Michael Gonzales, during a visit to the NDLEA national headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
Gonzales, who was received by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), and members of the agency’s management team, said he chose Nigeria as his first destination after assuming office four months ago because of the country’s leadership role in Africa and the NDLEA’s operational achievements.
Gonzales cited the four methamphetamine laboratory busts recorded by the NDLEA in 2026 as evidence of effective intelligence gathering, inter-agency coordination, cross-border cooperation, operational execution and prosecution.
He said the operations demonstrated the importance of sustained collaboration between the United States and Nigeria in tackling the international drug trade.
Gonzales called for sustained action against transnational criminal organisations, including investigations into the financial networks that facilitate their operations.
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