By Nura Ahmad Muhammad, Esq.
If there is any issue that deserves the collective attention of the government, civil society, traditional and religious institutions, families and communities in Kano State, it is the growing problem of drug and substance abuse. The issue has become sufficiently widespread to demand more than temporary interventions or isolated enforcement actions. It requires a sustainable, coordinated and legally backed response. This is why the proposed Kano State Drugs and Substance Abuse Management Bill currently before the Kano State House of Assembly deserves renewed attention and, subject to proper legislative scrutiny, speedy passage.
I have always believed that whenever government demonstrates genuine commitment to addressing a problem and there is an opportunity for citizens to contribute constructively, we should participate. The present administration in Kano has demonstrated concern about the problem of illicit drug use and trafficking. The establishment of a government task force under the leadership of Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado is one of the measures taken in response to the challenge. The Governor has also recently taken executive measures against illicit drug abuse and trafficking. These efforts are important, but the scale and complexity of the problem require an institutional and legislative framework capable of surviving beyond individual initiatives and administrations.
The argument for a state law is not an argument against the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) or other federal institutions. NDLEA has an important statutory responsibility in drug control and enforcement. However, the drug problem has dimensions that extend beyond arrest, prosecution and seizure. Prevention, public education, early intervention, treatment, rehabilitation, reintegration, community mobilisation, research, data collection and coordination among state institutions all require sustained attention. A state-level framework can therefore complement federal enforcement rather than duplicate it.
Indeed, Kano has previously recognised the need for such legislation. The Kano State Drugs and Substance Abuse Management Bill has been under consideration for several years, with an earlier 2019 version subsequently reviewed and redrafted. Public records show that the 2023 version underwent an expert review in September 2023 and subsequently received further stakeholder attention in collaboration with the Kano State House of Assembly. By November 2023, the revised Bill had passed its first reading, while stakeholders continued advocacy for its consideration and passage.
What makes the proposed legislation particularly relevant is that it seeks to approach substance abuse as a management and public-policy challenge rather than treating the issue exclusively as a criminal justice problem. This distinction is important for Kano. A young person already dependent on a substance may need treatment and rehabilitation; a school student exposed to drugs may need prevention and counselling; parents may need information and support; communities may need awareness and early-warning mechanisms; while traffickers and those unlawfully supplying controlled substances require effective enforcement.
The Bill’s emphasis on prevention, management and coordinated responses to drug and substance abuse is therefore significant. A properly implemented law can provide a clear framework for bringing together relevant government institutions, health professionals, law-enforcement agencies, educational institutions, civil society organisations, religious and traditional institutions and communities. This coordination is essential because no single institution can address the entire problem. Even the state government’s own recent public-health engagement on substance abuse acknowledged that the response requires collaboration among health institutions, regulatory agencies, religious leaders, educational institutions, parents and community leaders.
Another important consideration is the changing nature of substance abuse. Kano’s challenge is not limited to substances traditionally associated with illicit drug use. Public discussions and previous national-level assessments have highlighted the misuse of pharmaceutical products, including opioids such as tramadol and codeine-containing preparations, alongside other psychoactive substances. The 2017 Kano roundtable on drug abuse also identified problems relating to access, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, as well as gaps in coordination among institutions. A state law can provide a framework for addressing the local dimensions of these problems while working within the powers available to the State and complementing federal regulation and enforcement.
The proposed law is also relevant because sustainable solutions require more than periodic operations. A task force can mobilise institutions, conduct enforcement activities, coordinate interventions and respond to emergencies, but a statutory institution established by legislation can provide continuity, defined responsibilities, institutional memory, budgeting and accountability mechanisms. This is particularly important in a problem that cannot be solved within one political administration or through one-off campaigns. The objective should be to build a system that remains functional regardless of changes in personnel or government.
There is also a need for reliable Kano-specific data. We need to know where the problem is most concentrated, the substances being misused, the age groups most affected, the relationship between substance use and school dropout, violence and other social problems, the availability of treatment services, and the barriers preventing people from seeking help. A properly designed state framework can strengthen research, information management and evidence-based planning. Without reliable local data, government interventions risk responding to perceptions rather than the precise nature and distribution of the problem.
The Kano State House of Assembly therefore has an important responsibility before it. The Bill should receive the detailed legislative scrutiny it deserves, including consultation with NDLEA, health professionals, the judiciary, law-enforcement agencies, pharmacists, educational institutions, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, people with lived experience and other relevant stakeholders. Any concerns about duplication of federal functions, funding, institutional mandates, enforcement powers, treatment standards or human rights should be addressed during the legislative process. The goal should be a clear, workable and constitutionally sound law capable of delivering measurable results for Kano.
Kano does not lack concern about drug abuse; what we need is a stronger institutional architecture for translating that concern into sustainable action. The government’s present efforts, including the work of the anti-drug task force, can be strengthened by a comprehensive statutory framework. The proposed Kano State Drugs and Substance Abuse Management Law provides an opportunity to establish that framework, define responsibilities, strengthen prevention and treatment, improve coordination and create a sustainable state-level response. I therefore believe that the Bill deserves urgent attention by the Kano State House of Assembly and, following thorough legislative consideration, passage and implementation. The question before us is no longer whether Kano should take the problem seriously; the question is whether we are prepared to build the legal and institutional system required to confront it for the long term.
By Nura Ahmad Muhammad, Esq. is a Legal Practitioner and Development Practitioner, Kano