Female Boko Haram Drug Supplier Arrested by Troops

A 65-year-old woman, Hauwa Abulazeez, has been arrested for allegedly supplying drugs to Boko Haram terrorists operating in the North-East.
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, have apprehended Hauwa Abulazeez, 65, over her alleged involvement in supplying illicit drugs to Boko Haram terrorists in parts of Borno State.

The suspect was arrested on January 23, 2026, during an intelligence-led operation conducted under Operation DESERT SANITY V in Askira Uba Local Government Area of the state.
Military sources revealed that Abulazeez is believed to be a key supplier of cannabis sativa to Boko Haram elements operating across several communities, including Askira Uba, Rumirgo, Gwahi, Wamdiyo, Uvu and Gaya.
She was also said to play a major role in the distribution of the illicit substance within multiple locations across the North-East theatre.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect allegedly sourced the cannabis from Sarti Baruwa Local Government Area of Taraba State and transported it through established trafficking routes for onward distribution to terrorist elements and other criminal networks.
Confirming the arrest on January 25, 2026, the Media Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, disclosed that troops recovered 14 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa during the operation, with an estimated total weight of about 30 kilograms.
According to military sources, the seized consignment was intended to sustain terrorist activities and other criminal operations within the area.
The suspect is currently in military custody and undergoing preliminary investigation, while follow-up operations are ongoing to identify and dismantle the wider drug trafficking and logistics network supporting terrorist activities in the region.
Military authorities stated that the arrest underscores ongoing efforts to degrade not only the combat capabilities of terrorist groups but also their logistics and support structures, including illicit drug supply chains that fuel violence and insecurity.
They reaffirmed that Operation HADIN KAI remains committed to sustained, intelligence-driven operations aimed at denying terrorists and criminal elements the resources, space and freedom of action required to operate, until lasting peace and stability are restored across the North-East. (PRNigeria, excluding headline)