Katsina State has achieved significant success in reducing the number of drug abusers, moving to sixth place among states struggling with this issue, compared to last year when it ranked second.

The State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Katsina, Hassan Sani Abubakar, announced this achievement during a courtesy visit by the agency’s delegation to the office of the Secretary to the State Government of Katsina on Friday, 26 June 2024, to present the successes recorded over the past year.

Hassan informed the Katsina State Government that, "Last year, we reported that Katsina ranked second among states grappling with drug abuse. Today, we are pleased to inform you that we have achieved a significant success, with Katsina now ranking sixth." He added, "In less than two months, we have seized 900 kilograms of illicit drugs in Katsina, which is no small achievement."

The NDLEA Commander in Katsina highlighted the need for increased support from the state government in providing equipment to boost their morale and capacity to patrol the entire state to combat this menace. He stated, "Previously, we lacked sufficient personnel, but now we have them. We need more vehicles from the government, as we currently have only two."

Additionally, the agency requested support from the Katsina State Government in organising awareness campaigns that will involve various state agencies, as well as permission to conduct drug tests in secondary and tertiary schools for students.

In his remarks on behalf of the Katsina State Government, the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Abdullahi Garba Faskari, highly commended the remarkable progress made by the NDLEA. Faskari assured full support from the Katsina State Government for the NDLEA’s efforts, noting that drug abuse is at the root of the terrorism issues faced by the state. Therefore, he said, all their needs would be considered and addressed, as this is one of the priorities of the Katsina State Government under the leadership of Malam Dikko Umar Radda.

The meeting was attended by secretaries and directors of the Katsina State Government, along with the security team from the NDLEA Katsina Command.