Kano reports 380 arrests and 230 convictions in drug crackdown

Kano State has arrested more than 380 suspects and secured over 230 convictions during the first two months of an intensified campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, Governor Abba Yusuf said on Thursday. Yusuf announced the figures during his address at the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium in Kano. The figures are consistent with an earlier update from Muhuyi Gado, chairman of the Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The task force was established in July 2026, and the state government issued an Executive Order intended to strengthen action against illicit substances, thuggery and related criminal activities. Yusuf said the task force had also dismantled drug joints and criminal hideouts across the state. Earlier operations included joint enforcement exercises, during which authorities reported recovering illicit substances and dangerous weapons.

The task force has combined enforcement with rehabilitation and public sensitisation, according to Gado. About 125 people were reportedly referred to the Kano Reformatory Institute in Kiru for rehabilitation. Yusuf described the campaign as a shared responsibility involving security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, communities, parents and other citizens.

He appealed to residents to provide credible information to security agencies to help prevent and address criminal activity. The governor also urged young people to reject drugs, violence and criminality and pursue education, agriculture, technology, enterprise, vocational training and the creative industries. He said his administration would continue supporting security agencies, strengthening community-based intelligence and addressing social challenges linked to crime and insecurity.

Yusuf said the broader aim was to create a safer environment in which young people could pursue lawful enterprise and contribute to Kano’s development.