The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, has arrested 73 suspects and recovered various illicit drugs during coordinated raids on drug dens across Kano metropolis.
The agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by the Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics and Public Relations Officer of the Strategic Command, Sadiq Maigatari.
According to the statement, the suspects were apprehended during a one-day intelligence-led operation carried out under the code name “Operation Sharar Mafaka.”
The raids targeted notorious drug hotspots, including Filin Mahaha drug den, Sani Abacha Youth Centre, and locations within the Sheka area of Kano.
“In a one-day, coordinated intelligence-led operation conducted under ‘Operation Sharar Mafaka,’ officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Kano Strategic Command, raided the notorious Filin Mahaha drug den, the Sani Abacha Youth Centre and locations in the Sheka area, arresting 73 suspects and recovering a variety of illicit substances,” the statement said.
The agency said officers recovered several banned and controlled substances during the operation. The items included Cannabis sativa, Diazepam, Pregabalin, Exol-5, a substance locally referred to as “suck and die,” and other materials linked to the distribution and consumption of illegal drugs.
NDLEA explained that the operation forms part of its ongoing efforts to identify, dismantle, and permanently disrupt drug trafficking networks operating within the state.
“This operation is a continuation of ‘Operation Sharar Mafaka,’ the command’s ongoing operation to identify, dislodge and dismantle notorious drug joints across the state,” the statement added.
The agency noted that it has adopted a dislodge-and-occupy strategy aimed at preventing drug traffickers and dealers from returning to previously raided locations.
“The sustained use of dislodge-and-occupy tactics is intended to disrupt the pattern of activity at these locations and deny drug traffickers safe havens to operate,” the statement said.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the crackdown in line with the directives of the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.).
“We will continue to dislodge and occupy these drug joints in line with the direction of our Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, until there is no safe place left for illicit drug activities,” the statement added.
The agency said the operation reflects its determination to protect communities, reduce substance abuse, and disrupt criminal networks linked to illegal drug activities.
NDLEA also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information that can assist law enforcement agencies in combating drug-related crimes across Kano State.
