Kano arrests 380, secures 230 convictions in two-month drug crackdown - Punch Newspapers
The Kano State Government has arrested more than 380 suspects and secured over 230 convictions in the first two months of its intensified crackdown on drug abuse and illicit trafficking. Governor Abba Yusuf disclosed this on Thursday while delivering his address at the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration held at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium, Kano. “We have arrested more than 380 suspects and secured over 230 convictions in the first two months of the state’s intensified campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking,” Yusuf said. He said the state government established the Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in July 2026 and issued an Executive Order to strengthen the fight against illicit substances, thuggery and related criminal activities. The figures are consistent with those earlier disclosed by the chairman of the task force, Muhuyi Gado, who said in September that the committee had arrested more than 380 suspects and secured over 230 convictions since its inauguration on July 22.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google “The Task Force has also dismantled drug joints and criminal hideouts across the state since its establishment,” the governor said. The governor described the fight against drug abuse and criminality as a shared responsibility involving the government, security agencies, traditional institutions, religious leaders, communities, parents and citizens. He appealed to young people to reject drugs, violence and criminality, urging them to embrace education, agriculture, technology, enterprise, vocational training and the creative industries. 2027: Kano gov urges citizens to shun acts capable of breaching peace Kano recruits 2,037 health workers, warns against patient abuse Navy recovers 80,000 litres of stolen crude, arrests three “Drug abuse and criminality are not the responsibility of government alone. It requires the collective efforts of security agencies, traditional institutions, religious leaders, communities, parents and all citizens,” Yusuf said. He said his administration would continue to support security agencies, strengthen community-based intelligence and address the social challenges contributing to crime and insecurity. The governor urged residents to provide credible information to security agencies to assist in preventing and tackling criminal activities across the state. Yusuf reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating a safer environment where young people could pursue lawful enterprise and contribute meaningfully to the development of Kano State. The task force’s earlier operations included joint enforcement exercises targeting drug joints and criminal hideouts, with authorities reporting the recovery of various illicit substances and dangerous weapons. The task force has also combined enforcement with rehabilitation and public sensitisation, according to its chairman. It reported that about 125 people had been referred for rehabilitation at the Kano Reformatory Institute in Kiru. Hussaini Ibrahim
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