By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
STRONGER TIES against the global menace of illicit drug trafficking gained momentum as instruments of ratification were formally exchanged between the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Government of Qatar.
The exchange was conducted by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), and the Qatari Ambassador to Nigeria, Ali Bin Ghanem Al-Hajri, during a brief ceremony at the Qatar Embassy in Abuja on Tuesday, 7 October 2025.
The ratification followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on 3 March 2024 in Doha.
The agreement focuses on strengthening cooperation in combating the illicit trade of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and their precursors.
Speaking at the ceremony, Brigadier General Marwa expressed appreciation for Qatar’s continued partnership with Nigeria in addressing what he described as a major threat to public health and national security.
He reaffirmed the NDLEA’s commitment to sustained collaboration with its counterpart in Doha to safeguard citizens from the dangers of drug abuse and transnational trafficking networks.
Marwa noted that within the past four years, the NDLEA had intercepted over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, and other narcotics bound for Qatar.
He highlighted these seizures as evidence of the agency’s determination to disrupt drug trafficking routes and dismantle criminal networks operating across borders.
While commending the Government of Qatar for its global peacebuilding and humanitarian contributions through the Qatar Foundation, Marwa called for the Foundation’s support in establishing rehabilitation facilities for people struggling with drug addiction in Nigeria.
He emphasised that the success of the war against drug abuse also depends on the availability of comprehensive treatment and reintegration programmes for victims of addiction.
Responding, Ambassador Ali Bin Ghanem Al-Hajri welcomed the renewed cooperation between both nations and assured that the NDLEA’s request would be presented to the Qatar Foundation for consideration.
He observed that the partnership between Nigeria and Qatar had grown significantly, noting a recent increase in the volume of travel and exchanges between the two countries.
The Ambassador commended the NDLEA for its proactive efforts in curbing drug trafficking and pledged Qatar’s continued collaboration in ensuring that the partnership delivers tangible results in protecting communities from the dangers of narcotics.
The exchange of ratification instruments marks a critical step in the operationalisation of the 2024 bilateral agreement, which aims to foster intelligence sharing, capacity development, and coordinated law enforcement between both nations.
According to the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the renewed partnership is expected to enhance global efforts to dismantle networks responsible for the illicit movement of drugs and related substances across borders.
