ABUJA (CHATNEWSTV) — Twenty-five years after relying on a single forensic lab in Lagos, Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency has built two additional facilities in Abuja and Enugu, a move officials say will fast-track drug case analysis and boost prosecution.
According to a press statement released on Monday by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA, the expansion is aimed at improving access to timely forensic analysis, enhancing the accuracy of drug investigations, and increasing the agency’s prosecutorial efficiency amid a surge in drug seizures nationwide.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), described the new labs as a “significant milestone in the Agency’s history.”
“With these newly constructed laboratories, we can now enhance our forensic analysis capabilities, increase our capacity to process cases efficiently, and strengthen our fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking,” Marwa said.
The project was sponsored by the U.S. International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), according to the statement.
In addition to building the Abuja and Enugu labs, the agency also upgraded its Lagos facility with advanced equipment and safety systems. Twenty forensic officers were trained and certified by the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN), enabling them to independently sign off on drug analysis reports.
“This is not just infrastructure. It is about capacity, training, and trust in the process,” Marwa said. “We’ve also implemented robust quality control systems, aligning with the UNODC International Collaborative Exercise (ICE) programme for accuracy and global standards.”
On Monday, the NDLEA received a donation of a new spectroscopy device from the INL to enhance operations at the Lagos lab. The U.S. handover team was led by INL Nigeria Director Candace Spradley.
Spradley praised the collaboration, noting that the equipment “will improve the Agency’s ability to detect and analyze suspicious substances.”
Present at the handover in Lagos were NDLEA top officials including Director of Seaport Operations DCGN Omolade Faboyede, Director of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring ACGN Patricia Afolabi, and Commander of the Lagos Strategic Command CN Abubakar Liman Wali.
“This progress is the result of years of commitment, and we’re just getting started,” Marwa added.
Editor: Gabriel Ani
