US Commends NDLEA for Dismantling Meth Labs in Nigeria

The United States commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for dismantling four methamphetamine laboratories in Nigeria, allegedly linked to Mexican drug cartels, in 2026. Michael Gonzales, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs for Africa and the Middle East, expressed this commendation during his visit to the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on October 20, 2026.

He highlighted the strategic importance of Nigeria and the operational achievements of the NDLEA. Gonzales noted the significance of investigations, operational planning, and prosecutions in dismantling drug trafficking networks.

He warned that increased pressure on drug cartels in the Western Hemisphere could lead traffickers to seek alternative routes through Africa. Brigadier General Buba Marwa, NDLEA Chairman, identified a facility in Ijebu East, Ogun State, as the largest clandestine methamphetamine lab discovered in Nigeria.

He reported that similar labs were found in Oyo, Enugu, and Ebonyi states, indicating an attempt by Mexican cartels to establish Nigeria as a methamphetamine production hub.