Operation Hadin Kai has dismantled a terrorist drug supply route in Borno, arresting a 65-year-old woman and seizing cannabis meant for insurgents.
The Nigerian military has recorded another strategic victory in its sustained campaign against terrorism and organised crime in the North East, as Operation Hadin Kai disrupted an illicit drug supply network believed to be servicing Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.
The operation, carried out by troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), resulted in the arrest of a 65-year-old woman, identified as Hauwa Abulazeez, who is suspected to be a major conduit in the supply of cannabis sativa to terrorist elements operating within the region.
The arrest underscores the military’s growing emphasis on targeting not just fighters, but the logistical and financial arteries that sustain insurgent activities.
Confirming the development, the Media Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said the breakthrough was achieved under Operation Hadin Kai as part of a broader intelligence-led offensive codenamed Operation Desert Sanity V.
According to him, troops acted on credible intelligence that exposed a long-standing drug distribution route used to support terrorist operations.
The suspect was apprehended on January 23, 2026, in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
Military sources revealed that her activities had been under surveillance for some time due to her alleged role in supplying narcotics to insurgents across multiple communities.
These areas include Askira Uba, Rumirgo, Gwahi, Wamdiyo, Uvu, and Gaya—locations that have previously experienced varying levels of insurgent presence.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Abulazeez sourced large quantities of cannabis sativa from Sarti Baruwa Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The illicit substance was reportedly transported through established and concealed routes linking neighbouring states to the North East theatre of operations.
These routes, security experts say, are often exploited by criminal syndicates to evade checkpoints and surveillance.
During the arrest, troops recovered 14 tightly compressed blocks of cannabis sativa with an estimated combined weight of about 30 kilograms.
Military authorities described the seizure as a significant interception, capable of sustaining criminal and terrorist activities if it had reached its intended destinations.
The recovered drugs have been secured as evidence, while forensic and intelligence assessments continue.
The suspect is currently in custody undergoing preliminary interrogation.
According to the military, follow-up operations are already underway to identify collaborators, financiers, transporters, and other intermediaries connected to the trafficking network.
Officials stressed that Operation Hadin Kai is focused on dismantling entire criminal chains rather than isolated arrests.
Security analysts note that drug trafficking has become an increasingly critical component of terrorist logistics in the North East.
Proceeds from narcotics are often used to finance weapons procurement, mobility, recruitment, and sustenance of fighters. In some cases, drugs are also reportedly used to stimulate or coerce combatants during operations.
By targeting these supply networks, Operation Hadin Kai aims to degrade the operational capacity of insurgent groups without necessarily engaging them in direct combat.
This approach, experts say, reduces civilian exposure to violence while steadily weakening terrorist resilience.
Lieutenant Colonel Uba emphasised that the latest success reflects the effectiveness of intelligence-driven military operations and inter-agency cooperation.
He noted that denying terrorists access to resources such as drugs directly impacts their ability to operate, recruit, and expand influence within vulnerable communities.
Beyond its immediate security implications, the operation also highlights the evolving role of non-traditional actors—such as elderly individuals and women—in criminal logistics.
Military officials caution that insurgent groups increasingly exploit social perceptions to move illicit materials unnoticed, making intelligence gathering and community cooperation more critical than ever.
The military reaffirmed that Operation Hadin Kai remains resolute in confronting all forms of criminality across the North East.
Through sustained pressure, improved intelligence networks, and targeted operations, troops are committed to denying terrorists and their collaborators the space and freedom required to operate.
As Nigeria continues its long-running fight against insurgency, operations like this signal a strategic shift toward dismantling the hidden structures that fuel insecurity.
By choking supply lines, disrupting financing, and holding enablers accountable, the armed forces aim to create conditions for lasting peace, stability, and lawful governance across the region.
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