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Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested a 65-year-old woman, Hauwa Abdulazeez, for allegedly supplying illicit drugs to Boko Haram insurgents operating in parts of the North-East.
The arrest was confirmed on Sunday by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, Lt-Col Sanni Uba.
Uba stated that the suspect was arrested in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State following credible intelligence.
According to him, Abdulazeez is suspected to be a major supplier of cannabis sativa to terrorist elements operating across several communities, including Askira Uba, Rumirgo, Gwahi, Wamdiyo, Uvu and Gaya.
She was also described as a key link in the distribution chain of the illicit substance within the operational theatre.
In a statement, Uba said the arrest was carried out under Operation Desert Sanity V as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist logistics and support networks in the region.
“Acting on actionable intelligence on January 23, 2026, troops arrested a suspected drug dealer, Hauwa Abdulazeez, aged 65, in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State,” the statement said.
Preliminary investigations, according to the Army, revealed that the suspect allegedly sourced the drugs from Sarti Baruwa Local Government Area of Taraba State and transported them through established supply routes for onward distribution to terrorist groups.
The military disclosed that 14 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa, weighing approximately 30 kilogrammes, were recovered during the operation.
The suspect is currently in military custody while further investigations continue to identify and dismantle other members of the trafficking and distribution network.
The Army also noted that the interception points to the critical role of disrupting illicit supply chains that sustain terrorism, criminality and instability in the North-East.
Lt-Col Uba reaffirmed the commitment of troops to sustained, intelligence-driven operations aimed at eliminating criminal networks and restoring lasting peace and stability across the region.
Troops arrest 65-year-old woman over alleged drug supply to Boko Haram in North-East
