By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Kano
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has unveiled a major offensive against drug trafficking, inaugurating a nationwide weapons handling training programme for its officers while destroying more than 12 tonnes of illicit drugs seized in Kano State.
The twin actions, announced on Monday, underscore the Agency’s determination to strengthen its operational capacity and intensify the war against violent drug cartels operating across the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of a specialised Train-the-Trainer Course on Weapon Handling at the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), said the induction of AK-47 rifles and advanced HS-9/CF98A pistols marked a historic turning point in the Agency’s 36-year history.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Col. Murtala Aminu, Marwa said drug trafficking organisations had evolved into heavily armed and well-organised criminal networks, making it imperative to adequately equip officers for the dangers they face in the line of duty.
He said the firearms programme was aimed not only at enhancing operational efficiency but also at protecting the lives of NDLEA personnel and the public, stressing that no officer should be sent into dangerous operations without the training and equipment required for self-defence.
Marwa disclosed that the arms procurement process, initiated in 2023 through the China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), had reached its final stage, with thousands of rifles, pistols and ammunition expected for imminent delivery under a strict distribution and accountability framework.
He added that the pioneer participants undergoing the training were carefully selected from commands nationwide and would return to their respective formations to conduct a compulsory one-month weapons handling course for all officers before the firearms are deployed operationally.
The NDLEA boss urged the trainees to embrace discipline, professionalism and strict adherence to safety rules, insisting that proficiency in handling firearms must always be guided by restraint, sound judgment and respect for the rule of law.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the Agency’s operational expansion and praised the Office of the National Security Adviser for facilitating the initial supply of firearms and ammunition needed to commence the training.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA Kano Strategic Command publicly destroyed 12,233.946 kilograms—about 12.2 tonnes—of assorted illicit drugs and psychotropic substances confiscated through intelligence-led operations across Kano State and at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.
The destroyed exhibits included cannabis sativa, tramadol, codeine, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, pregabalin, diazepam, pentazocine, herbal mixtures, expired drugs and other prohibited substances recovered during targeted raids, including Operation Sharar Mafaka and Operation Ramadan Mubarak.
Commander of the Kano Strategic Command, CN Dahiru Yahaya Lawal, disclosed that the command had arrested 904 suspects comprising 869 men and 35 women since January 2026, seized over 2.5 tonnes of illicit substances and secured more than 54 convictions, with some offenders sentenced to prison terms of up to 15 years.
Lawal said investigations uncovered sophisticated drug hideouts, including tunnels and caves in the Rimin Kebe area, exposing the elaborate methods used by traffickers to conceal their operations and evade law enforcement.
He stressed that while enforcement remained a critical weapon in the anti-drug campaign, lasting success would require the collective efforts of security agencies, traditional and religious institutions, schools, parents and communities. He also commended Marwa’s leadership, the Kano State Government for eliminating criminal hideouts through erosion-control projects, and the judiciary for supporting the fight against drug trafficking through speedy prosecution of offenders.
