By Garba Abdullahi Bagwai, From Kano
The Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking says it has arrested more than 380 suspected drug dealers, thugs and other offenders and secured over 230 convictions within two months of its inauguration.
Chairman of the Task Force, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Kano, where he outlined the task force’s enforcement, rehabilitation and prevention activities since its inauguration on July 22, 2026.
Rimin Gado said the task force had conducted joint operations across several drug hotspots and criminal hideouts, including Race Course, Filin Idi, Filin Mahaha, Tashar Rami and Kawo, leading to the recovery of various illicit substances.
He listed the substances recovered as Cannabis Sativa, Exol-5, Diazepam, Pentazocine, Tramadol, Pregabalin and a designer drug containing methamphetamine.
The task force also recovered locally made weapons, including knives, cutlasses, daggers and clubs, which it said were allegedly being used by suspected drug dealers and thugs to intimidate residents and resist arrest.
Rimin Gado expressed particular concern over the seizure of about 870,000 capsules of Pregabalin from a pharmaceutical company in the state, saying the discovery raised concerns about the diversion of controlled medicines from legitimate supply chains into illicit markets.
He urged pharmaceutical companies, pharmacy managers and other stakeholders to strengthen their internal controls and cooperate with regulatory inspections and investigations.
On child protection, the chairman said two dealers, Kabiru Isa, also known as Mada, and Usman Hamisu, had been convicted for allegedly exposing about 43 underage children to intoxicating substances.
According to him, the rescued children, who were engaged in street scavenging, had undergone medical examinations and were receiving counselling and treatment, while efforts were ongoing to reunite them with their families.
The task force also disclosed that it had prosecuted a former Chairman of Rogo Local Government Area, Yahuza Musa, over an allegation involving the illegal administration of Pentazocine to a 63-year-old woman.
The case is currently before a competent court.
In its campaign against youth gangs and phone theft, the task force said it had arrested and secured convictions against several suspected members of the notorious “DABA” gangs, while also dismantling a phone-snatching syndicate known as “Yan Liya.”
Rimin Gado said a tricycle allegedly used by the syndicate had been forfeited, warning that vehicle owners who knowingly allowed their vehicles to be used for criminal activities risked losing them.
Beyond enforcement, the task force said it had referred about 125 individuals for rehabilitation at the Kano Reformatory Institute in Kiru.
It also announced plans to expand rehabilitation services through an additional facility provided by the Kano State Government in Tofa Local Government Area.
Rimin Gado said the task force’s broader target was to take 10,000 youths off the streets, provide them with rehabilitation and skills acquisition, and support their reintegration into society through employment and other productive opportunities.
He said the initiative was being implemented through collaboration among security and enforcement agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Correctional Service, Kano State Security Assistance Programme (KOSSAP), Vigilante, Hisbah and Kano Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA), alongside civil society organisations, traditional institutions and religious leaders.
The chairman urged members of the public to provide timely information to the authorities and support efforts aimed at preventing drug abuse, youth violence and other forms of criminality.
He said the activities of the task force were part of the Kano State Government’s broader objective of addressing drug abuse, strengthening public safety and creating opportunities for young people.
