The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a network of underground caves and tunnels used as drug hideouts in Kano State.

The discovery was made by the agency’s Kano State Strategic Command in the Rimin Kebe area, following a targeted operation aimed at dismantling illicit drug activities.

According to a statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Sadiq Muhammad-Maigatari, the operation—codenamed “Operation Sharar Mafaka”—was carried out based on credible intelligence and sustained surveillance.

Commander of the NDLEA in Kano, Dahiru Yahaya-Lawal, said operatives stormed the area on May 4, 2026, where they uncovered multiple caves adapted as living quarters and drug distribution points by suspected traffickers.

He noted that some of the hideouts were furnished with mats, pillows, food flasks, plates, and other household items, indicating regular habitation and organised criminal activity.

Yahaya-Lawal added that several of the caves and tunnels have been dismantled, while efforts are ongoing to demolish and secure the remaining structures. He also revealed that some of the tunnels under construction appeared to connect different hideouts underground.

The operation forms part of the NDLEA’s intensified crackdown on drug trafficking and abuse in Kano State.

Reaffirming the agency’s resolve, the commander warned that operatives would continue to pursue those involved in illicit drug trade. He urged individuals engaged in such activities to desist, stressing that the agency remains committed to sanitising the state.

The NDLEA also called on members of the public to report suspicious activities, noting that timely information is key to combating substance abuse and trafficking.

The agency said the operation aligns with directives from its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), to dismantle drug networks across the country.