Kano anti-drug agency arrests 380, secures 230 convictions

The Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking Tuesday said it has arrested 380 suspects and secured over 230 convictions within two months of its inauguration.

The task force, inaugurated on July 22, 2026, said it has also recovered various illicit drugs and dangerous weapons, rescued 43 underage children from exposure to intoxicants, and referred about 125 individuals for rehabilitation.

Speaking at a press briefing , the chairman of the Task Force, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, said the operations were part of the state government’s drive to curb drug abuse, thuggery, phone snatching and other forms of criminality across Kano state.

The task force joint enforcement operations have been conducted at several identified drug and criminal hotspots, including Race Course, Filin Idi, Filin Mahaha, Tashar Rami, Kawo and Tashar Rimi, among others.

The operations, it said, resulted in the arrest of more than 380 suspects and the recovery of various substances, including Cannabis Sativa, Exol-5, Diazepam, Pentazocine, Tramadol, Pregabalin capsules, Rubber Solution and a designer drug containing methamphetamine.

The Task Force also reported the recovery of locally made weapons, including knives, cutlasses, daggers and clubs, which it said were found at some of the locations targeted during the operations.

The Task Force said one of its major concerns was the seizure of approximately 870,000 Pregabalin capsules from a pharmaceutical company in the state.

Rimin Gado said the circumstances surrounding the seizure raised concerns about the possible diversion of controlled medicines from legitimate pharmaceutical supply chains for illicit use.