Troops of the Operation HADIN KAI have dealt a fresh blow to the logistics and criminal supply chains sustaining terrorism in the North East, arresting a suspected drug trafficker and intercepting a major consignment of illicit substances destined for insurgents.
The breakthrough came under Operation DESERT SANITY V, following actionable intelligence that led troops to Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State on January 23, 2026. During the operation, soldiers apprehended a 65-year-old woman, Hauwa Abulazeez, alleged to be a key supplier of cannabis sativa to Boko Haram elements operating across Askira Uba, Rumirgo, Gwahi, Wamdiyo, Uvu and Gaya communities.
Military sources said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect sourced the drugs from Sarti Baruwa in Taraba State before transporting them through established routes for distribution within the Theatre of Operations. Troops recovered 14 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa, weighing about 30 kilograms, a seizure described as a significant disruption of supplies meant to fuel terrorist and criminal activities.
The suspect is currently in custody undergoing preliminary investigation, while follow-up operations are ongoing to trace and dismantle the wider trafficking network behind the illicit trade.
Security officials say the interception goes beyond a single arrest, striking at the financial and logistical arteries that enable violence, insecurity and criminal influence. By cutting off these supply lines, troops are tightening the noose around terrorist groups and reinforcing law, order and stability across affected communities.
Operation HADIN KAI, the military reaffirmed, remains resolute in its mandate to confront and eliminate all forms of criminality in the North East. Through sustained, intelligence-driven operations and relentless pressure across the Theatre, troops will continue to deny criminal networks the space, resources and freedom to operate—until lasting peace and security are achieved.
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