The battle against drug abuse in Kano State is assuming a broader security dimension, with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) warning that the menace is linked to more than 90 per cent of the social vices and security challenges confronting society.
The warning came as the Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drugs Abuse and Trafficking intensified its campaign against drug trafficking, combining enforcement with intelligence gathering, rehabilitation and youth empowerment.
The Kano State NSCDC Commandant, Muhammad Hassan Agalama, gave the assessment when the Task Force visited the command to seek stronger cooperation and intelligence-sharing in the fight against illicit drugs.
Agalama described substance abuse as a threat not only to public health but also to peace, security and social stability, arguing that the scale of the problem required a coordinated response involving security agencies, government institutions, traditional rulers, religious leaders, communities and civil society organisations.
His warning adds a new dimension to the campaign, shifting the focus from drug users and street-level dealers to the wider consequences of the illicit trade—including crime, youth vulnerability and threats to public safety.
The NSCDC commandant assured the Task Force of the Corps’ full support, saying the fight must combine enforcement with prevention, rehabilitation, public enlightenment and youth empowerment.
“The fight is for everyone to join, and we can get a drug abuse free society. Certainly, there would be peace and tranquillity in the land,” Agalama said.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force, Alhaji Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado, has adopted a tougher posture, declaring that nobody involved in drug trafficking or abuse would be shielded.
Muhyi said the Task Force had already taken drug-related patients to the Kiru Reformative Centre for rehabilitation, while suspects had been prosecuted and some drug outlets sealed for allegedly violating regulations governing the sale, handling and storage of drugs.
His message to drug dealers was uncompromising.
“There will be no sacred cow. Anyone who engages in the selling or abuse of drugs will certainly be apprehended and prosecuted. There will be no hiding place for such criminals in Kano State.”
The chairman also disclosed that the Task Force had extended its operations into the state’s public service, with arrests made at the Audu Bako Secretariat as part of efforts to ensure government offices were not turned into safe havens for drug-related activities.
Muhyi said the operation demonstrated the Task Force’s determination to enforce the law without fear or favour.
But the Task Force is also attempting to address what it considers one of the root causes of drug abuse—lack of productive opportunities for young people.
Muhyi disclosed plans to rehabilitate and revive skills-acquisition centres across the state, including the Dangote Skills Acquisition Centre, to equip youths with vocational skills and create alternatives to drug abuse, trafficking and criminality.
He said the approach would allow the campaign to move beyond arrests and prosecution to rehabilitation, prevention and economic empowerment.
The chairman also said the Task Force had recorded what he described as a remarkable improvement in the activities of drug peddlers barely a month after its inauguration, attributing the development to collaboration with security agencies and other stakeholders.
He said the committee would deepen engagement with traditional rulers, Islamic scholars, market associations, youth groups and civil society organisations to broaden community participation in the campaign.
The Task Force has also approached the Department of State Services (DSS) for closer cooperation, particularly on intelligence gathering and coordinated operations.
Muhyi said the fight could not be won by government and security agencies acting alone, describing it as a collective responsibility requiring vigilance from parents, communities and institutions.
For Kano, therefore, the emerging strategy is no longer simply a war against drug dealers. It is increasingly being framed as a fight for the security, productivity and future of the state’s young population—with enforcement on one side and rehabilitation, skills development and community intelligence on the other.