MAIDUGURI, — Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, under Operation DESERT SANITY V, have arrested a 65-year-old woman, Hauwa Abulazeez, over allegations that she supplied cannabis sativa to Boko Haram elements operating in parts of Borno State.
The arrest, carried out in Askira Uba Local Government Area, followed “credible intelligence” received on January 23, 2026, according to the operation’s Media Information Officer, Lt. Col. Sani Uba.
Military authorities allege that Abulazeez served as a key conduit in a supply chain that moved drugs to insurgents across several communities, including Askira Uba, Rumirgo, Gwahi, Wamdiyo, Uvu and Gaya villages.
During the operation, troops recovered 14 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing about 30 kilograms, which the military said was intended to sustain terrorist activity and related criminal networks.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect allegedly sourced the drugs from Sarti Baruwa in Taraba State and transported them through established routes into the North East theatre, Lt. Col. Uba said.
Security officials described the interdiction as part of a broader effort to disrupt insurgent logistics beyond weapons and cash, arguing that narcotics trafficking can help fund operations, enable recruitment, and fuel indiscipline and violence in affected communities.
Abulazeez is currently in military custody and undergoing preliminary investigation, while follow-up operations are ongoing to identify additional actors and dismantle the wider trafficking network, the command said.
Operation HADIN KAI reiterated its commitment to intelligence-driven operations across the North East, urging residents to provide timely information that can help security agencies cut off criminal supply chains and consolidate stability in the region.
