The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Kano Strategic Command, has intercepted 75,000 capsules of pregabalin, 556 bottles of codeine cough syrup and quantities of cannabis sativa in the Badawa area of Kano.
The interception was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Sadiq Muhammad-Maigatari, who said the drugs were seized during an operation carried out in the area.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, pregabalin is an anticonvulsant and pain-relief medication, but the NDLEA noted that it has in recent years become one of the most widely abused prescription drugs in Nigeria.
Reacting to the development, the NDLEA Commander in Kano, Dahiru Yahaya-Lawal, said the seizure followed credible intelligence that the illicit drugs were meant for distribution during the forthcoming Sallah celebrations.
“The operation disrupted what would have been a significant supply to illicit markets in the state,” he said.
The agency added that the prime suspect linked to the consignment is currently at large and has been placed on its wanted list.
Yahaya-Lawal described the seizure as a major setback for the drug cartel behind the shipment.
“This seizure is a serious blow to the cartel’s network and helps protect the good people of Kano from the dangers associated with these illicit substances,” he said.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to the directive of the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, to achieve a drug-free society.
The commander also commended members of the public for their continued cooperation and urged residents to provide useful information that could assist the agency in the fight against drug trafficking.
