NDLEA intercepts 64 bags of cannabis in Kano
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, says it has intercepted and recovered 64 bags of suspected cannabis sativa concealed inside a cement-laden trailer along the Zaria–Kano Road, in an operation officials described as intelligence-driven.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics (ASN) Sadiq Muhammad-Maigatari, said the seizure was made on February 2, 2026, by officers attached to the Kiru Area Command after what he described as intelligence-led surveillance and careful monitoring.
NDLEA intercepts 64 bags of cannabis in Kano is how the agency summarised the operation, noting that the consignment was allegedly hidden in a trailer loaded with Dangote Cement, which had departed Obajana in Kogi State and was travelling toward Mubi in Adamawa State when officers stopped it along the Zaria–Kano route.
“The trailer, loaded with Dangote Cement, departed Obajana in Kogi State and was en route to Mubi in Adamawa State when it was stopped along the Zaria–Kano Road,” the statement said in part, adding that the driver was arrested and is currently in NDLEA custody pending further investigation.
While NDLEA did not immediately disclose the identity of the suspect in the public statement, the command said interrogation is ongoing to determine the wider network behind the movement of the drugs and the intended delivery chain.
Commander: operation was intelligence-driven
Commenting on the interception, the Kano State NDLEA Commander, Dahiru Yahaya-Lawal, said the success was a product of intelligence work and sustained operational focus by officers in the state command.
The command’s account indicates the seizure followed monitoring that allowed operatives to identify the trailer and stop it without disrupting legitimate traffic on the highway.
NDLEA intercepts 64 bags of cannabis in Kano is significant not only for the quantity involved, but also for the concealment method described by the agency. The use of lawful commercial cargo as cover, NDLEA officials say, remains one of the recurring patterns in drug trafficking, as syndicates attempt to blend illicit consignments into routine supply routes.
What NDLEA said happened on the highway
According to NDLEA’s statement, operatives attached to the Kiru Area Command stopped the cement-laden trailer along the Zaria–Kano Road and conducted checks that led to the discovery of the concealed cargo.
The agency’s narrative suggests that the stop was not random but based on prior intelligence and monitoring, which helped the team focus on a specific vehicle and route.
NDLEA intercepts 64 bags of cannabis in Kano also highlights how Kano’s road corridors continue to serve as strategic transit routes linking northern markets to supply chains from other parts of the country. The Zaria–Kano axis, in particular, connects major commercial flows and can be exploited by criminal networks seeking speed, volume, and cover.
Investigation underway, prosecution expected
The NDLEA said the driver remains in custody and that investigations are ongoing.
In cases of this nature, NDLEA typically proceeds from preliminary investigation to profiling, identification of accomplices, and preparation of a case file for prosecution, depending on the outcome of investigations and evidence gathered. The agency did not provide a timeline for prosecution in this case.
Still, NDLEA intercepts 64 bags of cannabis in Kano is likely to trigger further enforcement activity along the route and in linked locations, as agencies often use such seizures to trace supply and distribution networks.
Wider enforcement context
The Kano command’s seizure comes amid continued national enforcement actions against drug trafficking across routes that cut through highways, border communities, airports and coastal points. NDLEA has repeatedly maintained that intelligence-led operations are central to reducing drug supply and dismantling distribution networks.
For Kano, the operation underlines both the pressure on traffickers to move contraband across long distances and the continuing challenge for enforcement agencies operating on busy commercial corridors.
NDLEA intercepts 64 bags of cannabis in Kano also carries public health implications. NDLEA and health stakeholders have long warned that illicit drug circulation feeds addiction, insecurity, and wider social problems, particularly among young people. The agency’s enforcement focus, it says, is aimed at both supply reduction and deterrence, while encouraging prevention and treatment support through relevant institutions.
What to watch next
The next key questions are:
- Will NDLEA identify the owners or coordinators behind the shipment?
- Were there accomplices at departure points, transit stops, or the intended destination?
- Will the agency confirm the weight and lab analysis of the seized substance?
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