NDLEA arrests 1,860 suspects, seizes 5.4 tonnes of illicit drugs in Kano

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, says it arrested 1,860 suspects, together with 92 females, and seized greater than 5.4 tonnes of illicit drugs between January and September 2026.

The command additionally secured 89 convictions and filed 126 new instances in courtroom through the nine-month interval, whereas 135 instances remained pending earlier than the Federal High Court.

In a press assertion issued on Tuesday, October 13, the command stated it seized a complete of 5,409.814 kilogrammes of assorted illicit substances, together with Cannabis sativa, cocaine, methamphetamine and psychotropic substances.

It stated the figures mirrored the size of drug trafficking and distribution confronting Kano State, in addition to its continued efforts to implement drug legal guidelines.

Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA stated its Counselling, Treatment and Rehabilitation Unit recorded roughly 1,700 interventions to assist individuals affected by substance abuse.

It additionally carried out about 420 sensitisation programmes in colleges and communities to coach younger individuals and most people on the hazards of drug abuse.

The command disclosed that Operation Restore Order led to the dismantling of roughly 35 recognized drug joints throughout the state and the arrest of greater than 300 suspects.

The operation was carried out beneath the directive of the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), as half of efforts to disrupt drug distribution networks and enhance neighborhood security.

The command additionally reported that Operation Sharar Mafaka uncovered underground tunnels and caves in the Rimin Kebe space of Kano, which drug sellers allegedly used to conduct illicit actions and conceal their operations.

The assertion stated the invention uncovered the strategies employed by drug sellers to evade detection and highlighted the challenges concerned in dismantling established drug networks.

According to the Kano State Commander, D.Y. Lawal, “the Command remains committed to protecting public health, enhancing community safety, and combating drug abuse and illicit trafficking” throughout the state.