Kano State officials say drug abuse is a significant factor behind major crime and gang violence in the state. Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, chairman of the Kano State Joint Task Force on Drug Abuse, Illicit Drug Trafficking and Gang-Related Violence, tells journalists that security data show drug abuse continues to fuel criminal activity. According to the reports, he cites figures indicating that drug abuse accounts for about 70.2% of major crime arrests recorded over a period covered in the state’s statistics, based on more than 3,080 major crime arrests. The Vanguard report also frames his remarks around drug abuse contributing to crime and gang violence, and his role in coordinating efforts to control drug abuse and related illicit activities. Both sources present his comments as a summary of available security trends rather than a case-by-case finding in individual incidents. They also highlight the task force’s focus on drug trafficking and gang-related violence as interconnected drivers of insecurity in Kano.