The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, has intercepted more than 1,000 kilograms of various illicit drugs, including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and cannabis, intended for Qatar within the past four years.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed this on Tuesday during a ceremony marking the exchange of instruments of ratification for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria and Qatar on combating drug trafficking. The event took place at the Qatari Embassy in Abuja.
According to the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the MoU—originally signed on March 3, 2024, in Doha by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani—seeks to strengthen bilateral cooperation in tackling the production and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
Marwa emphasized that the volume of intercepted drugs highlighted the growing threat of transnational trafficking and the need for stronger global collaboration.
“To protect our citizens and territories from the dangers of substance abuse and trafficking, NDLEA has, in the last four years, intercepted over 1,000 kilograms of illicit substances destined for Qatar,” he stated.
The NDLEA boss praised Qatar for its global humanitarian and peace-building initiatives through the Qatar Foundation.
He also appealed for the Foundation’s support in establishing rehabilitation centres in Nigeria to aid victims of drug addiction.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to implementing President Tinubu’s national drug control strategy, which prioritises international partnerships, supply reduction, and rehabilitation through public education.
Responding, Qatar’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ali Bin Ghanem Al-Hajri, applauded the progress in bilateral relations and pledged to communicate Marwa’s rehabilitation proposal to the Qatar Foundation. He noted that the partnership had further strengthened cooperation between both nations.
The ratification marks a significant milestone in executing the 2024 agreement, aligning with Nigeria’s counter-narcotics framework and Qatar’s global stance against drug trafficking.
Earlier, on October 5, 2025, the NDLEA announced it had dismantled two major cartels behind six cocaine shipments bound for the United Kingdom. The Lagos operations led to the arrest of six suspects, including an alleged kingpin, Alhaji Hammed Ode.
