"Illicit drug production, trafficking, and consumption are linked to organised crime, illegal financial flows, corruption, and increasingly terrorist financing," he added.
The US on Wednesday handed over an upgraded forensic laboratory to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
According to the US embassy, the upgraded facility in Lagos will ensure that the NDLEA has the state-of-the-art equipment needed to analyse suspicious substances and evidence collected from crime scenes and suspects.
Speaking at the event, the US Consul-General Will Stevens said to ensure that Nigerian officials involved in detecting and identifying are best equipped to meet the evolving trends in the illegal drug market, the US has committed to sending Nigerian laboratory technicians on professional exchanges in the United States to allow them to learn best practices in the field.
He called on the NDLEA to make use of the forensic laboratory in carrying out its duties.
Mr Stevens noted that the US and Nigeria are faced with a common threat of illegal drugs and drug trafficking, a challenge that does not respect international borders.
"Illicit drug production, trafficking, and consumption are linked to organised crime, illegal financial flows, corruption, and increasingly terrorist financing," he added.
The US, Mr Stevens said, looks forward to continued collaboration with the Nigerian government through partner agencies to combat narcotics and disrupt the global spread of illegal drugs, especially synthetic drugs, affecting both societies.
