The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered underground drug caves and hideouts in Kano, part of a sweeping crackdown that reflects the agency’s intensified nationwide campaign against narcotics.
The operation, codenamed “Sharar Mafaka”, was carried out in the Rimin Kebe area after weeks of surveillance. NDLEA Commander Dahiru Yahaya-Lawal said the caves were used as hideouts and trading posts by suspected dealers, with household items found inside indicating regular occupation. Several caves have already been dislodged, with demolition planned for the remaining structures.
The Kano discovery is one of several recent NDLEA successes across Nigeria. In Lagos, NDLEA operatives working with Customs intercepted multi-billion naira consignments of cocaine along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor. In Anambra and Lagos, clandestine methamphetamine labs have been dismantled, while airports and seaports continue to yield seizures of heroin, meth, and cannabis.
NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, has emphasized that the agency’s strategy is not only about arrests but also about dismantling drug networks and reclaiming communities from criminal control. The Kano caves, officials said, represent how traffickers adapt to evade detection, but also how intelligence-driven operations can expose even the most hidden enclaves.
Nigeria has long struggled with porous borders and entrenched trafficking routes, making it a transit and destination hub for illicit drugs in West Africa. The NDLEA’s collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service has been crucial in intercepting shipments and disrupting syndicates. Recent joint operations have uncovered cocaine concealed in travel bags at airports, heroin hidden in shipping containers, and methamphetamine labs producing drugs for export.
The discovery in Kano underscores the scale of the challenge and the agency’s determination to confront it. By dislodging underground hideouts, NDLEA aims to permanently dismantle criminal infrastructure, restore public safety, and send a clear message that traffickers will be pursued wherever they operate.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was established in 1989 by Decree No. 48 to address the growing problem of drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria. It serves as the country’s lead agency for narcotics control and operates under the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Its mandate is to eliminate the cultivation, processing, manufacturing, sale, and trafficking of hard drugs. To achieve this, the NDLEA conducts intelligence-driven raids, surveillance at airports and seaports, border patrols, and community outreach programs aimed at curbing drug abuse.
The agency is currently headed by retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, who has intensified enforcement measures and expanded public awareness campaigns since assuming leadership. Under his tenure, the NDLEA has recorded significant achievements, including dismantling methamphetamine laboratories, intercepting multi-billion-naira consignments of cocaine and heroin, and dislodging notorious drug dens across major cities.
Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA also plays a vital role in rehabilitation and sensitization. It runs programs designed to reduce drug abuse among youths and vulnerable populations, emphasizing prevention and community involvement as key strategies in the fight against narcotics.
