The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has appealed to traditional rulers across the 44 local government areas of the state to take a frontline role in the ongoing campaign against drug abuse.
Speaking at the opening of a three-day stakeholders’ summit in Kano, the emir , represented by the Dankadan Kano and District Head of Shanono, Dr. Bashir Mohammad, warned that substance abuse poses a serious threat to the values and stability of communities.
“Drug abuse is not merely a social problem; it is a direct assault on the dignity of our society, the strength of our families, and the moral fabric that has sustained Kano for centuries,” Sanusi said.
The emir lamented the loss of young people to drugs, saying that “when a young person is lost to drugs, a lineage, a dream and a future are destroyed,” and urged traditional authorities to revive systems of accountability, mentorship and communal discipline once upheld by their forefathers.
He noted that palaces, mosques and family compounds once served as centres of guidance and rehabilitation, calling for a return to these values “as tools for building a safer and more resilient Kano.”
Sanusi reaffirmed the commitment of the Kano Emirate Council to the anti-drug campaign, promising continued leadership and advocacy to help young people “find purpose, discipline and dignity once again.”
The summit, themed “Strength in Unity: Advancing Collective Action Against Drug Abuse in Kano State,” emphasised that winning the fight requires coordinated efforts involving intelligence, public education, medical support, religious guidance and community discipline.
Coordinator of the Kano Reformative Centre, Cherly Aminta Kwagga, said the initiative aims to tackle “one of the greatest challenges affecting the state” through rehabilitation, reintegration, advocacy and community transformation.