Nigeria, Qatar unite to combat drug trafficking, promote regional security

Nigeria and Qatar have strengthened their partnership in the area of combating illicit drug trafficking with the symbolic exchange of instruments of ratification between the two countries by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), and the Qatar Ambassador Ali Bin Ghanem Al-Hajri.

According to the Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, the exchange followed the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on 3rd March 2024 in Doha, on cooperation on combating illicit trade in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors.

Speaking at a brief ceremony at the Qatar Embassy in Abuja, Marwa expressed appreciation for the partnership between the two countries against a major threat to public health and security globally.

He assured that the NDLEA remains committed to collaborating with its counterpart in Doha “to protect our people and countries from the threat of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.”

He noted that in the last four years, NDLEA had intercepted over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis and others heading to Qatar.

While commending the Qatar government for its peace-building efforts and tremendous humanitarian work across the world through the Qatar Foundation, the NDLEA boss sought the support of the Foundation in the area of the provision of rehabilitation facilities for the treatment of people struggling with drug addiction.

In his response, Ambassador Ali Bin Ghanem Al-Hajri assured Marwa that he would present the request to the Qatar Foundation.

He noted that the partnership between the two countries has improved greatly and, of late, increased the number of travels between the two countries.