Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has inaugurated a Quick Response Squad and unveiled operational equipment worth hundreds of millions of naira to strengthen the state’s campaign against drug abuse, thuggery and illicit trafficking.
The inauguration, held on Thursday, November 5, 2026, is part of the government’s efforts to improve enforcement, rehabilitation and reintegration of people affected by substance abuse.
Speaking at the ceremony, Yusuf expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded by the state in tackling drug abuse, saying sustained collaboration among government agencies and stakeholders was producing results.
“I am the happiest man in Kano today as we continue to push drug abuse down to the barest minimum,” he said.
The governor said the newly established Quick Response Squad would enable the Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to respond promptly to reports, incidents and emerging threats.
He said the newly procured equipment would also improve the operational capacity of the task force and other relevant agencies.
Yusuf, however, stressed that the fight against drug abuse should go beyond arrests and prosecution, noting that rehabilitation and economic empowerment were essential to preventing former users from returning to substance abuse.
He said the government would sustain skills acquisition and apprenticeship programmes to help rehabilitated persons become productive members of society.
The governor commended the chairman and members of the task force for their commitment, saying their achievements within a relatively short period demonstrated the importance of inter-agency cooperation.
Accompanied by the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Jibril Ismaila Falgore, and other government officials, Yusuf inspected the newly commissioned facility and equipment.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Multi-Agency Task Force, Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado, said the Quick Response Squad and new equipment would strengthen the agency’s capacity to tackle drug-related activities across the state.
He assured the governor that the task force would sustain its operations and intensify collaboration with relevant agencies to address substance abuse and illicit trafficking.
Rimin Gado described the fight against drug abuse as a collective responsibility involving government agencies, traditional and religious leaders, parents, schools and communities.
He thanked the governor for providing the political and operational support needed to carry out the task force’s mandate.
The chairman pledged that the agency would continue its preventive, enforcement, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes to reduce drug abuse and protect communities across Kano State.
