The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, has arrested 80 suspected drug offenders and dismantled 16 notorious drug joints across Kano State in the first seven days of its ongoing “Operation Restore Order.”
The operation, which began on August 10, is targeting locations identified as major centres for illicit drug trafficking and abuse, with the agency adopting a “dislodge-and-occupy” strategy to prevent suspected drug dealers from reclaiming the areas.
The command said the operation, conducted between August 10 and 16, was intelligence-led and carried out in line with the directive of the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa.
According to a statement issued by Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari, Media and Advocacy Officer of the Kano Strategic Command, operatives conducted coordinated raids on several suspected drug hotspots across the state.
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The areas targeted included Filin Mahaha, Koki, Dorayi, Rijiyar Lemo, Charanchi, Kasuwar Kurmi, Zage, Gwammaja, Sauna, Wambai, Yan Ayaba, Indabawa, Bela Village, Farm Center, Masaka and Panshekara.
During the raids, the operatives recovered various illicit substances and materials allegedly associated with drug trafficking and abuse, including Cannabis sativa, Diazepam, Exol-5, rubber solution, locally identified substances such as “Suck and Die,” cutting agents and packaging materials.
The agency also reported the recovery of locally manufactured weapons and other tools allegedly used in connection with illicit drug activities.
The scale of the operation indicates a renewed focus by the anti-narcotics agency on dismantling drug markets at the community level rather than concentrating solely on individual arrests.
Commander of the Kano Strategic Command, DY Lawal, said the operation was designed to restore order in communities affected by drug trafficking and abuse while protecting residents from their wider social consequences.
Lawal warned those still engaged in illicit drug activities to withdraw, saying the command would sustain the offensive until drug trafficking and abuse were significantly reduced across the state.
He said the agency would rely on intelligence gathering to identify additional locations and networks linked to the illicit drug trade.
The NDLEA said the 80 suspects arrested during the first phase of the operation would be processed and prosecuted in accordance with the law, while investigations would continue to establish their links to wider trafficking networks.
The command said the operation would be sustained and expanded as new intelligence becomes available, adding that locations already dislodged would remain under surveillance and occupation to prevent suspects from returning.
The agency also called on residents to support the campaign by providing credible and timely information on drug trafficking and abuse, stressing that community cooperation would be critical to identifying major offenders and disrupting the illicit drug trade.
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