The Kano Strategic Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has commended the conviction and sentencing of a 20-year-old suspect, Muhammad Maharazu, who was handed a 15-year prison term for drug-related offences.
Details of the case were made public in a statement dated April 16, 2026, issued by Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari on behalf of the agency. According to the release, the ruling was delivered a day earlier by the Federal High Court sitting in Kano.
Maharazu was initially arrested on February 14, 2026, at Filin Idi, an area identified as a hotspot for illicit drug activities within the state. He was apprehended by operatives attached to the Commander’s Special Joint Task Force while in possession of various prohibited substances, including Diazepam tablets.
The arrest, however, was not without resistance. The agency disclosed that the suspect attempted to escape during the operation and reportedly drew a long knife in what appeared to be an effort to attack the officers.
Despite the situation, NDLEA personnel were able to subdue him without injury, successfully disarm him, and take him into custody. He was subsequently charged to court.
On April 15, 2026, Justice S.M. Shuaibu delivered judgment, sentencing Maharazu to 15 years’ imprisonment. The court ordered that the sentence would take effect immediately from the date of judgment and did not provide the option of a fine.
Reacting to the outcome, the Commander of the NDLEA Kano Strategic Command, D.Y. Lawal, described the ruling as firm and commendable.
“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 noted that the sentence should serve as a deterrent to individuals who might consider using violence to resist arrest or engaging in drug trafficking activities.
It also called on the public to support ongoing efforts to combat drug abuse and illegal drug trade in Kano, emphasizing that meaningful progress in tackling such crimes depends on collective responsibility and cooperation.
