The Kano State Multi-Agencies Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking has secured the conviction of two men for supplying rubber solution and other intoxicating substances to underage children in the state.
The convicts, Kabiru Isa, popularly known as Mada, and Usman Hamisu, also known as Mani, were sentenced by Magistrate Muhammad Alhaji Sani of Magistrate Court No. 44, Gwammaja, Kano.
They were found guilty of criminal conspiracy, membership of an unlawful society and administering intoxicating substances, offences punishable under Sections 97, 97A and 249 of the Penal Code.
The court sentenced each of them to a cumulative nine-year prison term without an option of fine. The sentences are to run consecutively, with each year to be served as a full 12 calendar months, including weekends.
The conviction followed an investigation by the Task Force, led by its Chairman, Muhuyi Magaji, into the exposure of vulnerable children to intoxicating substances around the Race Course area of Kano.
The investigation began after the Task Force rescued 43 children, most of them underage, from the area. Some of the children were from Kano, while others had reportedly travelled to the state from different parts of the country and became exposed to the difficulties of street life.
According to the Task Force, investigations revealed that some children involved in street-based scavenging were allegedly supplied with rubber solution and other harmful substances instead of being properly paid for their services.
The Task Force said the practice exposed the children to intoxicants and further increased their vulnerability to substance abuse and exploitation.
The conviction of Isa and Hamisu was described by the agency as a major enforcement action aimed at disrupting activities and networks involved in exploiting vulnerable children and exposing young people to harmful substances.
The Task Force said it would continue to identify, investigate, arrest and prosecute individuals or groups involved in supplying intoxicants to children, exploiting vulnerable youths or promoting drug abuse.
It added, however, that its intervention extends beyond arrest and prosecution.
The rescue of the 43 children forms part of a broader plan to remove 10,000 vulnerable youths from the streets, particularly those exposed to substance abuse and other harmful influences.
Under the initiative, the youths will undergo medical and psychosocial assessments, while those requiring treatment will receive appropriate interventions. Others will be supported through rehabilitation, skills acquisition and eventual reintegration into society.
The Task Force said the objective was not merely to remove young people from the streets but to provide them with opportunities to rebuild their lives, acquire useful skills and become productive members of their communities.
Speaking on the conviction and the wider intervention, Task Force Chairman Muhuyi Magaji said the agency would continue to pursue its mandate firmly while combining enforcement with prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration.
He stressed that young people affected by substance abuse should not only be viewed from an enforcement perspective but should also be protected and given opportunities to recover and rebuild their lives.
Magaji, however, warned that individuals who deliberately exploit vulnerable children and youths for personal gain would be held accountable under the law.
The Task Force called on parents, community leaders, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to protect children and young people from substance abuse.
It said the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking required the collective efforts of government agencies, parents, communities, institutions and other members of society.
The Task Force said the conviction sent a clear message that streets must not become environments for the exploitation of children, warning that those who supply intoxicating substances to vulnerable young people would be pursued, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
While offenders would be held accountable, the agency said vulnerable children and youths would continue to receive protection, treatment, rehabilitation, skills training and support to rebuild productive lives.
