By Rabiu Sanusi
The Chairman of the Kano State Inter-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, has issued a stern warning to politicians, declaring that no amount of pressure or influence will compel the committee to release suspected drug traffickers or violent thugs arrested during its operations.
Speaking on Tuesday during a strategic engagement with media executives and journalists in Kano, Rimin Gado reaffirmed the task force’s commitment to enforcing the law without fear or favour.
He stressed that the committee, inaugurated by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, would remain independent and resolute in its mission to rid Kano State of drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking, and gang-related violence.
“No politician should approach me to seek the release of any thug we arrest. This is Kano, and we are all indigenes of the state. We will not allow a few people to destroy its future,” Rimin Gado declared.
He further emphasized that the only person from whom he would consider such a request is the governor, adding that any such directive would amount to an indirect request for his resignation.
The chairman explained that the task force was constituted following Governor Yusuf’s declaration of a statewide public health emergency on substance abuse on July 22.
According to him, the committee has been empowered to intensify the crackdown on illicit drug traffickers, dismantle criminal gangs, rehabilitate victims of substance abuse, and ensure offenders are prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Rimin Gado disclosed that statistics from the Kano State Police Command showed that nearly 70 percent of major crimes recorded across the state in 2025 were linked to drug abuse.
He noted that the committee’s primary focus would be on dismantling drug trafficking networks, describing traffickers as “the greatest enemies of society,” while also strengthening rehabilitation programmes and community engagement initiatives.
He further revealed that the Executive Order signed by Governor Yusuf has outlawed violent gangs under Section 97A of the Kano State Penal Code, warning that membership of any proscribed group carries a minimum prison sentence of five years upon conviction.
He said the task force would rely on intelligence gathering, collaboration with security agencies, and active community participation to restore peace and public safety across Kano State.
Rimin Gado also appealed to parents to closely monitor their children’s activities, stressing that effective parental supervision remains one of the strongest tools for preventing drug abuse and youth involvement in criminal activities.
He urged media organisations, religious leaders, traditional institutions, and other stakeholders to support the committee through sustained public enlightenment campaigns aimed at combating substance abuse and protecting the future of Kano’s younger generation.
