He charged members of the subcommittees to demonstrate greater commitment, dedication and determination in the discharge of their respective responsibilities.
He reminded them of the enormity of the task before them, stressing that the success of the Task Force would depend largely on the seriousness and commitment with which each committee approached its assignment.
He urged the members to redouble their efforts, work collectively and remain focused on the objectives of the Task Force, noting that the fight against drug abuse and trafficking required sustained commitment, effective coordination and a shared sense of responsibility.
According to him, the committees were established to provide a more coordinated and specialised approach to tackling the various dimensions of the drug problem, while ensuring that relevant stakeholders worked together towards achieving lasting results.
The nine committees inaugurated were: Finance, Media and Publicity; Advocacy and Sensitisation; Licences, Inventory and Verification; Compliance, Inspection and Electronic Tracking; Monitoring and Implementation; Intelligence; Reformative and Traditional Council; and Anti Drug Coordination Committee.
To further drive the mandate of the Multi Agency Task Force,the Chairman announced plans to take off the streets 10,000 youths as part of efforts to combat drug abuse in the state.
To further boost the operations of the Agency, Governor Yusuf recently commissioned the Quick Response Squad of the Multi-Agency Task Force alongside operational equipment worth hundreds of millions of Naira.
In his remarks shortly after inaugurating the Squad,Governor Yusuf expressed satisfaction with the progress being recorded in the fight against drug abuse across the state, saying the sustained efforts of the government and its partner agencies were gradually producing the desired results.
“I am the happiest man in Kano today as we continue to push drug abuse down to the barest minimum,” he declared.
He said the newly-commissioned Quick Response Squad would enhance the operational capacity of the Task Force by enabling it to respond promptly to reports, incidents and emerging threats relating to substance abuse and illicit trafficking.
He also highlighted the significance of the newly-procured equipment, describing the investment as part of his administration’s commitment to providing the Task Force and other relevant agencies with the tools required to effectively confront the drug menace.
According to the Governor, the fight against substance abuse must not end with arrest and prosecution, stressing the need to provide those apprehended and rehabilitated with opportunities to acquire skills and engage in legitimate economic activities.
He said the State Government would continue to support skill acquisition and apprenticeship programmes designed to keep rehabilitated persons meaningfully engaged and reduce the possibility of relapse into drug use or other illicit activities.
The Governor commended the Chairman and members of the Multi-Agency Task Force for their dedication, courage and commitment to the campaign, noting that the achievements recorded within a relatively short period demonstrated the importance of sustained collaboration among government agencies and stakeholders.
In his remarks, Barrister Muhyi reaffirmed the commitment of the Task Force to sustaining the onslaught against substance abuse and illicit trafficking in the state.
He said the commissioning of the Quick Response Squad and the provision of modern operational equipment would significantly strengthen the Task Force’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to drug-related challenges and protect communities from the devastating consequences of substance abuse.
He assured the Governor that the Task Force would not relent in its efforts, stressing that the fight against drug abuse requires consistency, determination and sustained collaboration among all relevant agencies.
The Chairman thanked the Governor for his strong support, political will and commitment to confronting the drug menace in the state.
He said the Governor’s continued support had provided the Task Force with the confidence and operational backing needed to intensify its activities and pursue its mandate without fear or favour.
Barrister Rimin Gado noted that the fight against drug abuse was not merely an enforcement responsibility but a collective social responsibility requiring the involvement of government, security and regulatory agencies, traditional and religious leaders, communities, parents, educational institutions and other stakeholders.
He,therefore,pledged that the Task Force would continue to strengthen its operations, deepen collaboration with relevant agencies and sustain its preventive, enforcement, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.
He expressed confidence that with the continued support of the Kano State Government and the dedication of all stakeholders, the state would make further progress towards reducing substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking to the barest minimum.
Then,barely 24 hours after the Governor, commissioned the Rapid Response Squad, the Task Force said it had further consolidated its gains by seizing approximately 3,180,000 capsules suspected to be Pregabalin.
The Agency said the seizure followed credible intelligence received through one of the reporting platforms linked to the Task Force Command and Call Centre.
It said that operatives of the Squad identified and searched a residential apartment at No. 13 Apple Avenue, Normansland, Sabon Gari,in Fagge Local Government Area,which was suspected to be used for illicit activities.
During the operation, the Task Force said, the operatives recovered approximately 3,180,000 capsules suspected to be Pregabalin and arrested a 34-year-old man identified as Gregory Ogbuji.
The suspect, who is suspected to be associated with SEEMARK PHARMA LTD, registered under number 2012546, has been charged under Section 249 of the Penal Code. Another suspect allegedly connected to the operation is currently at large.
The Chairman of the Task Force, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, Esq., described the seizure as a significant early result of the Rapid Response Squad, stressing that it demonstrated the importance of intelligence-led enforcement and effective communication between the public and law enforcement agencies.
According to the Task Force, Pregabalin has emerged as one of the most widely abused drugs in Kano State, and that Its operational experience indicated that approximately eight out of every 10 drug-related operations involved suspects dependent on or abusing Pregabalin.
The Agency described the development as a serious public health and security concern, stressing that sustained enforcement, public vigilance and community cooperation would be critical to tackling the growing challenge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the state.
The Chairman warned individuals and groups involved in the illicit drug trade to desist, assuring residents that the Task Force would continue to take firm action against offenders without fear or favour.
He expressed appreciation to members of the public for their prayers, cooperation and continued support, urging residents to make full use of the Task Force’s reporting platforms and Command and Call Centre to provide credible information on suspected drug abuse, trafficking, thuggery and other criminal activities.
He said the cooperation of residents remained essential to strengthening public safety and advancing the state government’s “Kano First” Agenda.
And in furtherance of the anti-drug war, the State Government recently donated working tools to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, to strengthen the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
The items were presented by the Chairman of the Task Force Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, on behalf of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, saying that the donation reflected the government’s determination to tackle drug-related offences, which he identified as a major contributor to social vices in the society.
He lamented that substance abuse had reached a frightening dimension, requiring concerted action by the government, security agencies and other stakeholders.
According to him, Governor Yusuf’s administration is committed to providing the necessary support to agencies responsible for combating drug abuse and illicit trafficking, using all available means to address the growing challenge.
Barrister Muhuyi Magaji stressed that effective coordination among relevant institutions was essential to curbing the menace and protecting the future of young people in the state.
Receiving the items, CN Dahiru Yahaya Lawan, Kano Strategic Commander of the NDLEA, expressed gratitude to the governor and the state government, describing the intervention as timely.
Lawan said the equipment would enhance the command’s operational capacity and strengthen its efforts to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
Another feat achieved by the Abba Kabir Yusuf administration in its battle against drug abuse was the securing by the Task Force of the conviction and imprisonment of two men for supplying rubber solution and other intoxicating substances to vulnerable underage children in Kano.
The two convicts, Kabiru Isa (Mada) and Usman Hamisu (Mani), were sentenced by Magistrate Muhammad Alhaji Sani of Magistrate Court Number 44, Gwammaja, Kano, after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy, membership of an unlawful society and administering intoxicating substances, contrary to Sections 97, 97A and 249 of the Penal Code.
The court sentenced each of the convicts to a cumulative jail term of nine years without an option of fine, with the sentences to run consecutively. The court further ordered that each year of the sentence be served as a full 12 calendar months, without the exclusion of weekends, thereby requiring the convicts to serve the full terms imposed by the court.
The conviction followed an intensive investigation by the Task Force into circumstances surrounding the exposure of vulnerable children on the streets of Race Course, Kano, to intoxicating substances.
Governor Yusuf further hammered home the imperative of the fight against drug abuse last week when he sweared in Hon. Sunusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa as the state Commissioner of Information and Internal Affairs, and Hon. Sa’idu Balarabe Gani as Commissioner for Solid Minerals.
During the event, the Governor particularly emphasised the need for increased public sensitisation and education of young people on the dangers of drug abuse, illicit drugs and tobacco consumption.
He specifically directed the new Information Commissioner to work closely with the Kano State Multi Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to intensify public awareness campaigns and promote collective efforts towards effective tackling of the menace.
With the Governor’s directive therefore,the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking in the state got yet another major boost,as Hon.Sunusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa will surely deploy his rich pedigree in Public Communication to effectively disseminate the message towards the eradication of the twin vices – drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
