NDLEA Arrests 80 Suspects, Dismantles 16 Drug Camps in Kano
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, has arrested 80 suspects and dismantled 16 drug camps across Kano State within the first seven days of its Operation Restore Order (ORO).
The operation commenced on August 10 under a strategy known as “dislodge-and-occupy,” aimed at dismantling locations identified as centres for the sale and consumption of illicit drugs and preventing drug dealers and users from returning to the affected areas.
According to a statement issued by Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari, Public Information and Advocacy Officer of the Kano Strategic Command, the operation was conducted between August 10 and 16, following a directive from the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.).
The operation was led by CN DY Lawal, with NDLEA personnel carrying out coordinated raids on several locations identified through intelligence as hotspots for the distribution and consumption of illicit drugs.
NDLEA Raids 16 Drug Hotspots
The agency said the 16 locations targeted during the operation included Filin Mahaha, Koki, Dorayi, Rijiyar Lemo, Charanchi, Kasuwar Kurmi, Zage, Gwammaja, Sauna, Wambai, Yan Ayaba, Indabawa, Bela Village, Farm Centre, Masaka and Panshekara.
The raids were carried out as part of efforts to disrupt areas where illicit drugs were allegedly being sold, distributed and consumed.
The NDLEA said the operation was based on intelligence gathered by its personnel and was designed not only to remove suspects from the identified locations but also to prevent the areas from being re-established as drug centres.
The agency described the strategy as “dislodge-and-occupy,” meaning that after suspected drug camps are dismantled, law-enforcement personnel maintain a presence or surveillance to prevent those involved from returning and rebuilding their operations.
Drugs and Other Items Recovered
During the operation, NDLEA personnel recovered different types of illicit drugs and substances, including Cannabis sativa, diazepam, Exol-5, rubber solution and substances locally referred to as “Suck and Die.”
The agency also recovered other suspected illicit substances and materials believed to have been used for packaging, processing and distributing drugs.
In addition to the drugs, officers recovered weapons and other items suspected to have been used in connection with drug-related activities.
The NDLEA said the seizures and arrests were the result of intelligence-led operations targeting specific locations where illicit drug activities were believed to be taking place.
80 Suspects Arrested
A total of 80 suspects were arrested during the seven-day operation.
The suspects are expected to undergo further investigation to establish their individual roles and possible links to wider drug-trafficking networks operating within Kano State.
The agency said the arrests would not necessarily mark the end of the investigation, as officers would continue working to identify other individuals and groups connected to the suspected drug trade.
Those found to have sufficient evidence against them are expected to be prosecuted in accordance with Nigerian law.
NDLEA Promises Continued Crackdown
The NDLEA said the operation would continue as part of its broader campaign to reduce the trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs across Kano State.
The agency warned individuals still involved in the illegal drug trade to abandon the activity, stressing that its enforcement operations would continue across different parts of the state.
It said the objective was not only to make arrests but also to dismantle the networks responsible for supplying illicit drugs to communities.
The agency maintained that intelligence gathering would remain an important part of its strategy as officers work to identify drug hotspots and trace the wider networks behind the distribution of illegal substances.
Investigation to Continue
The 80 suspects arrested during the operation will face further investigation before any decision is made regarding prosecution.
The NDLEA said suspects against whom sufficient evidence is established would be taken before the courts as required by law.
Investigators are also expected to examine the seized substances, equipment and other recovered items as part of efforts to establish how the alleged operations were organised.
The agency said it would continue pursuing individuals and groups involved in the illicit drug trade, with particular attention to wider networks that may be operating beyond the locations already raided.
The Kano operation forms part of the NDLEA's continuing enforcement efforts against drug trafficking and abuse, as the agency seeks to prevent known drug hotspots from becoming active again after they have been dismantled.
The agency therefore urged members of the public to provide useful information to law-enforcement authorities that could assist in identifying locations and individuals involved in the illicit drug trade.
With 80 arrests and 16 drug camps dismantled in just seven days, the NDLEA said the operation demonstrates its determination to maintain sustained pressure on illicit drug activities in Kano State and disrupt the networks supplying drugs to communities.