In the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in Kano State, one name continues to stand out for results, discipline, and community partnership — Commander of Narcotics, CN Dahiru Yahaya Lawal, the State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Kano Command.
As recently noted by the Chairman of the Kano State Joint Task Force Committee on Drug Abuse, Muhuyi Magaji, about 70 percent of the major crimes recorded in the state are linked to substance abuse. He said if drug trafficking and abuse can be effectively tackled, thousands of crime will not happen again.
Since assuming leadership of the Command, CN Lawal has positioned Kano NDLEA as one of the most proactive and people-focused commands in the country. His approach combines strong enforcement with prevention, rehabilitation, and public education — a strategy that is already changing the narrative around drug abuse in the commercial capital of Northern Nigeria.
And rather than blowing his own trumpet, CN Lawal is allowing his work to speak for him. Under his leadership, the Kano Command has recorded a steady rise in arrests, seizures, and convictions of drug traffickers and peddlers. From major interceptions along the Kano-Katsina-Jigawa corridor to targeted raids in drug hotspots across the 44 LGAs, the Command has sent a clear message: Kano will not be a safe haven for drug cartels.
More importantly, the seizures are not just about numbers. They represent tons of illicit drugs — including cannabis, millions of tramadol pills, codeine, and other psychotropic substances — taken off the streets and away from young people.
Perhaps, what sets CN Lawal apart is his belief that enforcement alone cannot win the war. He has made drug prevention and advocacy a core pillar of his tenure, and this is in line with the strategy of NDLEA chairman retired Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa.
Through school sensitization programs, market outreaches, community engagements, and partnerships with traditional and religious leaders, the Kano Command under Lawal is taking the anti-drug message directly to communities. Parents, teachers, youth groups, and community leaders are being equipped to identify early warning signs and intervene before addiction sets in.
In the last week of June this year, Commander CN Dahiru Yahaya Lawal led the Kano Strategic Command to publicly destroy 12,233.946 kilograms (approximately 12.234 tonnes) of assorted illicit narcotics and psychotropic substances intercepted and forfeited through sustained intelligence‑led operations across Kano State and at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.
Earlier in the same June, during a road walk and sensitisation to commemorate the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the Kano Strategic Command narrated hoe it arrested more than 400 suspected drug offenders and secured over 50 convictions between January and June 2026.
“Drugs destroy families, futures, and communities. We must fight it together,” Lawal has repeatedly told stakeholders during town hall meetings and media engagements. He has also strengthened the Command’s collaboration with treatment centers and civil society organizations to ensure that users get help, not just punishment. Hundreds of drug users have been counseled, referred for treatment, and reintegrated into society through NDLEA Kano’s counseling and referral programs.
This balance of firmness on traffickers and compassion for users reflects the human side of his leadership.
Stakeholders in Kano, including the Emirate Council and security agencies to NGOs, media, and student bodies, credit CN Lawal for opening the doors of NDLEA and making the agency more accessible. His regular briefings, community dialogues, and transparency have built public trust and encouraged more people to volunteer information. The result is that we now have in place a Command that is not fighting the drug war alone but fighting with the people.
As Kano continues to grow as a commercial and educational hub, the challenges of drug abuse also evolve. But with CN DY Lawal at the helm, NDLEA Kano is matching the challenge with intelligence-led operations, stronger community ties, and a clear focus on protecting the next generation.
In a time when many young people are vulnerable to substance abuse, Kano is fortunate to have a commander who sees the job not just as law enforcement, but as service to humanity.
- Bara’atu Sidi is a student of Bayero University Kano
