The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a network of underground caves and tunnels used as drug hideouts in Kano State.
The discovery was made by operatives of the agency’s Kano State Strategic Command during a raid in the Rimin Kebe area as part of an ongoing crackdown on illicit drug activities.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Sadiq Muhammad-Maigatari, the operation was conducted under “Operation Sharar Mafaka,” a renewed effort to dismantle drug networks across the state.
He said the raid, carried out on May 4, followed credible intelligence and sustained surveillance, which led operatives to the hidden enclave. There, they confirmed the existence of multiple caves adapted as living and trading spaces by suspected drug dealers.
Some of the caves were reportedly furnished with household items such as mats, pillows, food flasks, plates, and cutlery, indicating that they were regularly occupied and used for organised drug activities.
The NDLEA Commander in Kano, Dahiru Yahaya-Lawal, disclosed that additional tunnels under construction appeared to provide underground connections between the hideouts.
He added that several of the caves and tunnels had been dislodged, while efforts were underway to demolish and secure the remaining structures.
Yahaya-Lawal reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to eliminating drug trafficking and abuse in the state, warning that operatives would continue to track down offenders wherever they operate.
The operation, he noted, aligns with the directive of NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba-Marwa, to intensify the fight against drug-related crimes nationwide.
He also urged members of the public to provide timely information to authorities, stressing that community support remains critical in curbing substance abuse and trafficking.