The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, has hailed the sentencing of a 20-year-old suspect, Muhammad Maharazu, to 15 years in prison.
In a statement issued on April 16, 2026, by Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari, the agency said the judgment was delivered by Federal High Court 1 in Kano on April 15, 2026.
Maharazu was arrested on February 14, 2026, at Filin Idi, a known drug hotspot in Kano. NDLEA operatives from the Commander’s Special Joint Task Force caught him with different illegal drugs, including Diazepam tablets.
According to the statement, the suspect tried to escape during the operation and pulled out a long knife, apparently attempting to attack the officers.
Despite the threat, the officers safely disarmed him and took him into custody.
He was later charged to court.
On April 15, 2026, Justice S.M. Shuaibu sentenced Maharazu to 15 years’ imprisonment.
The court ruled that the jail term would begin from the date of judgment and gave no option of a fine.
Reacting to the ruling, the Commander of NDLEA Kano Strategic Command, D.Y. Lawal, praised the court for what he described as a firm decision.
“We are grateful to the Federal High Court and to Hon. Justice S.M. Shuaibu for this decisive judgment,” he said.
“This conviction sends a clear message. No amount of threats or violence will deter our officers from carrying out their mandate. Kano is not and will not be a safe haven for drug traffickers. Even small quantities of illicit substances will be prosecuted.”
The command said the sentence should serve as a warning to others who might think of using weapons to resist arrest or continue dealing in illegal drugs.
It also urged members of the public to support the agency’s efforts to fight drug abuse and trafficking in Kano, stressing that tackling drug-related crimes requires collective action.
