By Aminu Garko
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to combating substance abuse through investment in education, law enforcement, professional counselling and stakeholder collaboration.
The governor’s position was conveyed by Secretary to the State Government, Umar Ibrahim, who represented him at the opening of the 10th Annual International Conference of the Association of Professional Counsellors in Nigeria, APROCON, held at Bayero University, Kano.
The 5-day conference, held from August 3 to 7, 2026, had the theme “Innovative Interventions for Substance Use Reduction.” It brought together counsellors, academics, researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, security experts and development partners from Nigeria and abroad.
Speaking on behalf of the governor, Ibrahim said substance abuse remains one of the greatest threats to young people, social stability and economic development.
“The Government of Kano State is determined to rid our society of substance abuse and all associated social vices. We believe that investment in education, youth development and professional counselling remains one of the most effective and sustainable ways of addressing this challenge,” he said.
The SSG disclosed that the state government recently inaugurated a committee headed by a legal practitioner to strengthen enforcement against trafficking and abuse of illicit substances in Kano.
He said security agencies last month confiscated and destroyed illicit substances worth hundreds of millions of naira. He noted that some tablets were reportedly sold for as much as ₦70,000 each, while a small quantity of hybrid Indian hemp fetched millions of naira on the illicit market.
Ibrahim said the figures underscored the scale of the illegal drug economy and the need for sustained collaboration among government, counsellors, educational institutions, parents, religious leaders and development partners.
He added that the administration was investing in education as a long-term strategy to reduce youth restiveness, prevent criminality and promote socio-economic development.
During the ceremony, APROCON honoured Governor Yusuf with two awards in recognition of contributions to educational development and human capital advancement. The awards were received on his behalf by the SSG.
Ibrahim dedicated the honours to teachers, educational administrators, school managers, the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, development partners and residents of Kano State.
He also congratulated National President of APROCON, Osorochi Patricia Obi, for hosting the conference, and conveyed the governor’s condolences to the association over the death of its Kano/Jigawa Chairman, Ahmad Muhammad Garba.
The SSG said the state government would consider APROCON’s request for a parcel of land to build a permanent Kano/Jigawa secretariat.
The conference featured presentations by scholars and experts from the University of Zambia, NDLEA Kano Strategic Command, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Islamic University in Uganda, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University and Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, Nairobi.