Kano Targets Rehabilitation of 10,000 Drug Users Within One Year

The Kano State Government has announced plans to remove 10,000 drug users from the streets and rehabilitate them within one year as part of a broader effort to combat substance abuse and its connection to violent crime.

The Chairman of the Kano State Multi-Joint Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Muhuyi Rimin-Gado, disclosed the plan on Saturday while outlining measures targeting drug users, convicted offenders and vulnerable youths involved in substance abuse.

Rimin-Gado said the initiative would go beyond arrest and imprisonment by combining detoxification, rehabilitation, skills acquisition and economic empowerment to help former drug users reintegrate into society.

He said beneficiaries would first undergo detoxification before entering rehabilitation programmes, where they would receive training in trades such as tailoring, shoemaking and garment production, among others.

According to him, the programme is designed to tackle the relationship between drug abuse, unemployment and violent crime, particularly gun violence involving young people.

The task force chairman also said discussions had begun with correctional authorities and other stakeholders to ensure that people released from correctional facilities could receive rehabilitation and vocational training to support their reintegration.

He explained that drug users would be handled according to the severity of their substance abuse. While some could be placed under the care of their parents or guardians, those found with multiple substances could face prosecution.

Rimin-Gado added that the government would link rehabilitated beneficiaries with markets in Kano to create economic opportunities and help them become financially productive.

He described the project as ambitious but expressed confidence that cooperation among government agencies, security institutions, correctional authorities and private-sector organisations would make it successful.

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