Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have uncovered and disrupted an illicit drug supply network linked to terrorist activities in the North East, with the arrest of a suspected dealer in Borno State.
The military said the arrest was carried out on Jan. 23, 2026, under Operation Desert Sanity V, following actionable intelligence.
The suspect, Hauwa Abulazeez, 65, was apprehended in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno. She is alleged to be a key supplier of cannabis sativa to Boko Haram elements operating in parts of Askira-Uba and surrounding communities, including Rumirgo, Gwahi, Wamdiyo, Uvu and Gaya.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly sourced the illicit drugs from Sarti Baruwa Local Government Area of Taraba State and conveyed them through established routes for distribution across several locations within the theatre of operations.
Items recovered during the operation included 14 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa, with an estimated total weight of about 30 kilogrammes, believed to be intended to support terrorist and other criminal activities.
The suspect is currently in military custody undergoing preliminary investigation, while follow-up operations are ongoing to trace and dismantle the broader drug trafficking and distribution network.
The military noted that the interception underscores the critical role of cutting off illicit supply chains that sustain terrorism, criminality and instability in the region.
It reaffirmed that Operation Hadin Kai remains committed to sustained, intelligence-driven operations aimed at denying criminal networks the resources and operational space they require, until lasting peace and stability are restored in the North East.
The disclosure was contained in a statement signed by Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai.