Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano State Strategic Command, has uncovered a sophisticated network of underground caves and tunnels used by drug dealers as a secret hub for consumption, storage, and trade of illicit substances in the Rimin Kebe area of Kano State. The operation, codenamed Operation Sharar Mafaka, was executed on Monday, May 4, 2026, following weeks of intelligence gathering and sustained surveillance .
Operatives stormed the notorious Rimin Kebe enclave and found multiple caves constructed and adapted by suspected drug dealers as living and trading spaces. According to a statement by the command's Public Relations Officer, Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari, several of the hideouts were furnished with household items, including mats, pillows, food flasks, plates and cutlery, indicating continuous occupation and organised drug activities . Other caves and tunnels observed appear to be under construction and may provide underground links between different hideouts .
A video posted by Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, showed operatives accessing the tunnels and discovering mats and pillows, confirming that the location was being used as a hideout and living shelter. The statement reads: “These videos and pictures capture the moment NDLEA officers uncovered and dismantled a network of caves and tunnels used by criminal elements for illicit drug use, trade and storage at Rimin Kebe area of Kano, where 19 suspects were arrested and various quantities of illicit substances recovered” .
The Commander of the Kano Strategic Command, Dahiru Yahaya Lawal, said operatives have already dislodged several of the caves and tunnels, with plans underway to demolish and secure the remaining structures. He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to eliminating drug-related activities in the state, warning those involved in the illicit trade to desist or face enforcement action .
“We will continue to pursue these unscrupulous elements wherever they hide. Our commitment is unwavering. Those who remain in the illicit trade should consider exiting now. We have come to stay until Kano is free from illicit drug use and trade,” Yahaya-Lawal was quoted as saying by the News Agency of Nigeria .
The discovery of the underground drug network came just days after the command launched Operation Sharar Mafaka, a sustained campaign to dislodge and occupy notorious drug joints across the Kano metropolis. On April 27 and 28, 2026, operatives raided over 20 known drug hotspots, including Filin Idi, Tashar Rami, Fagge, Abattoir, Farm Centre, Hotoro Flyover, Mariri Park, Ramin Jirga Tishama, Yankaba Park, and Audu Bako Secretariat, arresting 52 suspects—including four women—and seizing assorted illicit substances, paraphernalia, and locally made weapons . Commander D.Y. Lawal described the strategy as “dislodge and occupy” and said the operation will continue until all the streets in Kano are safe .
The Kano Strategic Command reiterated its commitment to ongoing enforcement, community engagement, and partnership with citizens to eliminate illicit drug activity. It called on members of the public to report suspicious activities to the nearest NDLEA office, stressing that timely information remains crucial in curbing substance abuse in the state . The operation aligns with the directive of NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, retired Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa, to dismantle drug networks across the country .
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