The United States has said it is to work closely again with Nigeria to combatdrugs trafficking and fraud.

The announcement was made in Lagos by a senior American official, Randy Beers the assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Crime after talks with Nigerian officials.

He said poor relations in recent years had made action against drugs traffickers difficult, but he considered that period over.

He said law enforcement was a vital area of co-operation for the two countries, and Nigeria's previous narcotics blacklisting by the United States belonged in the past.

Mr Beers said the co-operation would involve teams from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, Justice Department, Internal Revenue Service and the Customs and Immigration Service.