Kano State to Rehabilitate 10,000 Drug Users in One Year

The Kano State Government has set an ambitious target to rehabilitate 10,000 drug users within one year as part of a new strategy to address substance abuse and its correlation with violent crime. Muhuyi Rimin-Gado, Chairman of the Kano State Multi-Joint Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, announced this initiative, which emphasizes rehabilitation over imprisonment.

The process will begin with detoxification, followed by enrollment in rehabilitation programs and skills training in areas such as tailoring, shoemaking, and garment production. Rimin-Gado stated that the intervention aims to tackle the relationship between drug abuse, unemployment, and youth violence, particularly gun violence.

The government is also collaborating with correctional authorities to ensure that individuals released from correctional facilities can access rehabilitation and skill acquisition. The initiative is designed not only to reduce drug dependence but also to create economic opportunities by linking rehabilitated individuals with local markets, thereby strengthening the state's economy.