The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, has arrested 80 suspects and dislodged 16 notorious drug joints across Kano State within the first seven days of its newly launched “Operation Restore Order”.
The operation, launched on August 10, 2026, is part of the agency’s renewed drive to dismantle drug trafficking and abuse networks and restore security in communities affected by illicit drug activities.
The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, signed by its Media and Advocacy Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari.
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According to the statement, the operation was conducted under a “dislodge-and-occupy” strategy, designed not only to raid identified drug hotspots but also to prevent traffickers and drug users from immediately returning to the locations.
The operation was carried out between August 10 and 16 following a directive from the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.).
The Kano Strategic Command, led by CN DY Lawal, deployed coordinated teams to locations identified through intelligence as major hubs for drug trafficking and abuse.
Among the locations targeted were Filin Mahaha, Koki, Dorayi, Rijiyar Lemo, Charanchi, Kasuwar Kurmi, Zage, Gwammaja, Sauna, Wambai, Yan Ayaba, Indabawa, Bela Village, Farm Centre, Masaka and Panshekara, among others.
The agency said officers recovered various illicit substances and items allegedly connected to drug trafficking during the raids.
The recovered substances included Cannabis sativa, Diazepam, Exol-5, rubber solution and other narcotics, as well as locally known substances including “Suck and Die”.
The teams also recovered cutting agents, packaging materials and locally manufactured weapons and other tools allegedly used in the illicit drug trade.
The command said the suspects arrested during the operation would be processed and prosecuted in accordance with the law, while investigations would continue to uncover wider trafficking networks behind the identified drug joints.
Speaking on the operation, the Kano Strategic Command’s head, CN DY Lawal, described it as intelligence-led and resolute.
“This operation is intelligence-led and resolute. The directive from our Chairman/CEO is clear: we must restore order and protect our communities,” he said.
Lawal warned individuals still involved in illicit drug activities to abandon the trade, stressing that the command would sustain its operations until Kano becomes free from illicit drugs.
He said the operation would not end with the initial raids, noting that dislodged locations would remain under continued monitoring and occupation to prevent traffickers from returning.
“Those still engaged in these illicit activities should repent before it is too late; we will not relent until Kano is drug-free,” he said.
The agency said Operation Restore Order would be sustained and expanded based on intelligence gathered during ongoing operations.
The latest development comes amid heightened concern over drug abuse and drug-related criminality in Kano State, with government and security agencies increasingly focusing on dismantling trafficking networks and addressing drug demand.
The NDLEA also appealed to residents to support the campaign by providing timely and credible information on drug trafficking and abuse.
It said community cooperation and intelligence sharing were essential to sustaining the gains recorded during the operation and ensuring that major offenders and trafficking networks were brought to justice.
The agency urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies as enforcement operations continue across the state.
The first seven days of Operation Restore Order have therefore resulted in 80 arrests and the dislodgement of 16 identified drug joints, with NDLEA promising sustained operations against illicit drug networks across Kano State.