THE Chairman of the Kano State Joint Task Force Committee on Drug Abuse, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, has disclosed that about 70 per cent of major crimes recorded in the state are linked to substance abuse.
News Point Nigeria reports that Rimin Gado made the disclosure during an engagement with journalists in Kano, where he called on the media to support the state government’s campaign against drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking and gang violence through sustained public enlightenment.
Citing police statistics, he said the Kano State Police Command recorded about 3,080 arrests for major crimes across the state last year, with approximately 70.2 per cent of the cases linked to drug abuse.
“If drug abuse had been effectively addressed, thousands of these crimes would probably not have occurred. That is why the government is determined to confront the menace through this joint task force,” he said.
Rimin Gado explained that the committee was established following Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s declaration of a state-wide public health emergency on substance abuse and was mandated to combat illicit drug trafficking, rehabilitate victims and prosecute offenders.
According to him, the committee’s strategy extends beyond law enforcement to include prevention, rehabilitation and community engagement as part of a comprehensive approach to tackling the menace.
He noted that the committee would work closely with communities, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to address the root causes of substance abuse and the criminal activities associated with it.
The committee chairman also warned against the activities of violent groups linked to drug abuse, stressing that the state government would invoke relevant provisions of the law to prosecute anyone found engaging in acts capable of threatening public peace and security.
He reiterated the committee’s commitment to reducing drug abuse and its associated crimes through coordinated action involving government agencies, security operatives, community leaders, the media and other stakeholders.
