Troops Nab 65-year-Old Woman Supplying Illicit Drugs To Terrorists

Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) “Operation HADIN KAI” (OPHK) have arrested 65-year-old Hauwa Abdulazeez in Askira Uba local government area for allegedly supplying cannabis sativa, also known as Indian Hemp, to Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State.

The Nigerian Army said yesterday that troops had recorded another success in efforts to degrade terrorist logistics and criminal support networks in the North East through the arrest of the woman.

In a statement issued to journalists yesterday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the media information officer, Lt. Col Sani Uba, said the troops acting on credible intelligence on 23rd January, 2026, arrested the a suspected drug dealer, Hauwa Abulazeez.

He said the suspect was alleged to be one of the suppliers of cannabis sativa to Boko Haram terrorist elements operating through Askira Uba, Rumirgo, Gwahi, Wamdiyo, Uvu and Gaya, and a key conduit in the distribution of the substance across several communities within the Theatre.

Uba added that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect sourced the illicit substance from Sarti Baruwa LGA of Taraba State and transported it through established supply routes for onward distribution.

He said during the operation, 14 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa, with an estimated total weight of approximately 30 kilogrammes, were recovered, representing a significant interception intended to sustain illicit activities.

Uba said the suspect is currently in custody, undergoing preliminary investigation, while follow-up actions are on to identify and dismantle the wider network involved in the trafficking and distribution of the substance.

He noted that the interception underscores the broader impact of denying illicit supply chains that fuel violence, criminality and instability, saying that by disrupting these networks, the operation contributes to improved security conditions, reduced criminal influence, and the reinforcement of lawful authority and order across the region.