The US government has launched a project to improve the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA) forensic and chemical analysis skills, as well as its intelligence collecting and prosecuting capabilities.
The latest assistance from the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) follows the Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative’s allocation of a N500 million grant to fund selected initiatives inside the agency (ASR Africa).
According to an official letter announcing the US project grant to the NDLEA, the award was made in response to requests made by the NDLEA’s Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd), during a series of meetings with key US authorities in Abuja and Washington DC.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Nigeria would carry out the project, according to the letter.
The US government stated that, in addition to supporting the agency’s forensic and chemical analysis capacity, the project will also support NDLEA efforts to conduct intelligence-led investigations by providing diverse resources such as legal books and an e-library for prosecution and other legal needs.
