Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

The Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking says it has arrested more than 380 suspects and secured over 230 convictions within its first two months of operation.

KANO FOCUS reports that the Chairman of the task force, Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists on the activities of the task force since its inauguration in July.

The task force was inaugurated on July 22, 2026, by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s response to drug abuse, illicit trafficking and related criminal activities.

It comprises security, law enforcement, health, traditional, religious and civil society stakeholders, with the objective of coordinating efforts against the growing drug problem in the state.

According to Barr Rimin Gado, the operations have targeted areas identified as drug joints and criminal black spots, including Race Course, Filin Idi, Filin Mahaha, Tashar Rami and Kawo, among others.

He said the strategy was aimed at disrupting locations where drug users, dealers and suspected criminals converge, rather than limiting operations to individual arrests.

Earlier operations in Rimin Gado and Doka communities resulted in the arrest of 28 suspects and the recovery of assorted illicit substances.

By September, another operation covering Gandun Albasa, Kasuwar Rimi, Fagge and railway areas led to the arrest of at least 70 suspected drug users and others allegedly involved in related activities.

The task force has also linked drug abuse to other forms of street crime, including DABA, phone snatching and gang-related violence.

Several suspected gang members have been arrested and convicted, including Abdullahi Ahmad, popularly known as Horror; Abubakar Sada, known as Daburi; Abdullahi Sani, known as Sarki Ale; and Umar Aliyu.

43 Children Rescued

One of the cases highlighted by the task force involved 43 underage children who were rescued following investigations into alleged exploitation and exposure to intoxicating substances.

The children, who were engaged in street scavenging, were allegedly supplied with rubber solution and other intoxicating substances instead of receiving appropriate payment for their work.

Two men, Kabiru Isa, also known as Mada, and Usman Hamisu, known as Mani, were subsequently convicted and each sentenced to a cumulative nine years in prison without an option of fine, according to the task force and reports of the court proceedings.

The rescued children have undergone medical checks and are receiving counselling and treatment, while efforts are ongoing to identify and reunite them with their families.

Some of them have already been reunited with their relatives.

870,000 Pregabalin Capsules Seized

The campaign has also focused on the diversion of controlled medicines from legitimate supply chains.

The task force said it seized about 870,000 capsules of Pregabalin from a pharmaceutical company in Kano over suspected diversion for illicit use.

The chairman subsequently urged pharmaceutical stakeholders to strengthen their internal controls and cooperate with inspections and investigations.

The development comes amid separate operations by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, which reportedly seized 785,000 Pregabalin capsules weighing more than 669 kilogrammes in Sabon Gari, Kano, in September.

Multi-Agency Operations

The task force’s operations involve the police, NDLEA, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Correctional Service, Hisbah, Kano Road Traffic Agency and other stakeholders.

The multi-agency structure is intended to combine the powers, intelligence, personnel and resources of different institutions in tackling drug abuse and associated criminality.

The Kano State Government has also provided operational support, including five vehicles handed over to the task force in August to strengthen mobility, field operations and intelligence coordination.

125 Persons Referred for Rehabilitation

Beyond arrests and prosecutions, the task force says it is incorporating prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration into its strategy.

Its sensitisation campaign has taken anti-drug messages to communities, schools, markets, religious institutions and other public spaces, while people affected by drug abuse are being referred for rehabilitation.

About 125 people have been referred to the Kano Reformatory Institute in Kiru for treatment and rehabilitation.

However, the facility has reportedly reached capacity amid increased demand from families seeking help for relatives affected by drug abuse.

The state government has consequently provided an additional rehabilitation facility in Tofa Local Government Area to expand treatment capacity.

10,000 Youths Targeted

The task force has set a target of removing 10,000 vulnerable youths from the streets for rehabilitation, skills acquisition and reintegration into society.

The proposed intervention includes medical detoxification, structured rehabilitation, vocational training and support for economic reintegration.

The task force is also engaging industrial stakeholders and other partners on employment and skills acquisition, recognising that sustainable recovery may depend on providing rehabilitated persons with productive livelihoods.

The initiative places responsibility not only on government and security agencies but also on families, employers, religious and traditional institutions, civil society organisations and the media.

The task force says communities must support people who successfully complete rehabilitation, while families and employers should help create conditions for their reintegration into society.

Two months into the operation, the task force says its activities have demonstrated the scale of Kano’s drug-related challenges while establishing a coordinated response involving enforcement, prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration.

The task force, however, acknowledges that two months is too short to declare victory over a problem that has developed over many years.

The longer-term test, according to the report, will be whether the intervention reduces the number of young people entering substance abuse, protects vulnerable children, supports sustainable recovery and creates productive opportunities for rehabilitated persons.

The task force says it intends to sustain the momentum by strengthening coordination among agencies and expanding its interventions across Kano State.

Its chairman has previously said the operations would extend to all 44 local government areas of the state.