Kano NDLEA Reports 1,860 Arrests, 5.4 Tonnes of Drug Seizures

 

By Atlantic Reports

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, says it arrested 1,860 suspects and seized more than 5.4 tonnes of assorted illicit drugs between January and September.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASN Sadiq Muhammad-Maigatari, disclosed the figures on Tuesday in Kano on behalf of the State Commander, Dahiru Yahaya-Lawal.

According to the command, those arrested comprised 1,768 men and 92 women. The seized substances, weighing 5,409.814 kilograms, included cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine and psychotropic substances.

The arrests are allegations-based enforcement figures and do not establish the guilt of those detained.

Convictions and Cases Before Court

Yahaya-Lawal said the command secured 89 convictions during the reporting period and filed 126 new cases. He also reported that 135 cases were pending before the Federal High Court.

The figures describe different stages of the justice process. The command did not explain how the newly filed cases overlapped with the pending total or how many of those arrested were charged, released or referred for other interventions.

Beyond enforcement, its Counselling, Treatment and Rehabilitation Unit recorded 1,700 interventions supporting people affected by substance abuse.

The command did not specify whether that figure represented individual beneficiaries or included multiple interventions involving the same people.

It also reported conducting 420 school and community sensitisation programmes focused on prevention and the dangers of drug abuse.

Operations Target Distribution Points

Yahaya-Lawal said the command dismantled about 35 identified drug joints and arrested more than 300 suspects under “Operation Restore Order”, conducted on the directive of NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa.

The statement did not clarify whether those arrests were included in the overall total of 1,860.

He also said another operation, “Operation Sharar Mafaka”, uncovered underground tunnels and caves in Rimin Kebe allegedly used by drug dealers to conceal illicit activities.

That account remains attributed to the agency. The disclosure did not provide details of seizures or prosecutions directly linked to the underground sites.

Prevention and Recovery

Yahaya-Lawal said tackling drug-related problems required action against illicit supply networks alongside sustained prevention, treatment and recovery support.

He acknowledged support from Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf, community members and other stakeholders, and urged residents to provide timely, credible information to the agency.

The command pledged to continue enforcement, preventive education and rehabilitation activities.

Its figures indicate the scale of reported activity over nine months, but do not by themselves establish changes in drug availability, substance dependence or community safety. Those outcomes will be important in assessing the longer-term impact of its work.

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