The agency says its seven-day Operation Restore Order also recovered illicit drugs, weapons and trafficking paraphernalia across the state
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, led by Kano Strategic Command Commander DY Lawal, arrested 80 suspects and dislodged 16 known drug joints across Kano State between August 10 and 16, 2026, as part of a seven-day operation aimed at disrupting drug trafficking and abuse.
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The operation, code-named “Operation Restore Order”, was conducted on the directive of NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), as the agency intensified enforcement against locations identified as hubs for illicit drug activity.
The arrests and raids represent one of the agency’s latest efforts to disrupt open drug markets and dismantle networks operating within communities across the state.
According to the NDLEA, its teams targeted several notorious locations during the operation, including Filin Mahaha, Koki, Dorayi, Rijiyar Lemo, Charanchi, Kasuwar Kurmi, Zage, Gwammaja, Sauna, Wambai and Yan Ayaba.
Other locations affected included Indabawa, Bela Village, Farm Center, Masaka and Panshekara.
The agency said officers recovered assorted illicit substances and items allegedly connected to drug trafficking and abuse.
Among the substances recovered were Cannabis sativa, Diazepam, Exol-5, rubber solution and other narcotics. Officers also found cutting agents, packaging materials and locally manufactured weapons and tools allegedly used in the illicit trade.
Commander Lawal described the operation as intelligence-led and said the agency would continue targeting locations where drug trafficking and abuse threaten public safety.
“This operation is intelligence-led and resolute. The directive from our Chairman/CEO is clear: we must restore order and protect our communities,” Lawal said.
He warned those involved in illicit drug activities to abandon the trade, adding that enforcement would continue until the agency achieves its objective of reducing drug-related activity in Kano.
The NDLEA Kano arrests also form part of a broader enforcement strategy in which the agency has increasingly combined raids, intelligence gathering and community cooperation to target drug supply networks.
Lawal said the 80 suspects would be processed in accordance with the law, while investigations would continue to determine whether the arrests could lead investigators to wider trafficking networks.
“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 commander also said the operation would not end with the initial raids.
“Operation Restore Order will be sustained and expanded as intelligence dictates, with continued occupation of dislodged sites and follow-up enforcement to prevent immediate reoccupation,” Lawal added.
The emphasis on preventing reoccupation is significant because the removal of drug activity from known locations can have limited impact if criminal networks quickly return after enforcement teams leave.
The NDLEA therefore intends to maintain surveillance and conduct follow-up operations at the affected locations as intelligence becomes available.
The latest action comes amid Nigeria’s continuing struggle with drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
The agency has repeatedly linked drug use with wider social and security challenges, while warning that criminal networks often exploit vulnerable communities and young people.
Beyond arrests, the NDLEA has also maintained that sustained prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and public awareness are necessary to address the demand for illicit substances.
For communities affected by the raids, the immediate significance of the Kano operation lies in the disruption of locations that the agency had identified as drug hubs.
The NDLEA urged residents to support its work by providing credible and timely information about suspected trafficking and abuse.
The agency said cooperation from communities would remain crucial to identifying major offenders and preventing dislodged drug networks from rebuilding their operations.
As investigations continue, the 80 suspects face processing and possible prosecution in accordance with Nigerian law.
Also read: NDLEA destroys N301bn illicit drugs in Lagos
Arrest, however, does not by itself establish guilt, and any allegations against the suspects will have to be proven before a court.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
