Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), under Operation DESERT SANITY V, have recorded a major operational success by disrupting an illicit drug supply network believed to be sustaining terrorist activities in the region.
Acting on credible intelligence on 23 January 2026, troops arrested a 65-year-old suspected drug dealer, Hauwa Abulazeez, in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State. The arrest forms part of ongoing efforts to degrade terrorist logistics and dismantle criminal support structures across the North East.
In a press statement, the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, disclosed that the suspect is alleged to be a key supplier of cannabis sativa to Boko Haram terrorist elements operating in Askira Uba, Rumirgo, Gwahi, Wamdiyo, Uvu, and Gaya areas. She is also believed to have served as a major conduit in the distribution of the illicit substance across several communities within the Theatre of Operations.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly sourced the drugs from Sarti Baruwa Local Government Area of Taraba State and transported them through established trafficking routes for onward distribution. During the operation, troops recovered 14 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa with an estimated total weight of about 30 kilograms, dealing a significant blow to criminal networks that fuel violence and instability.
The suspect is currently in custody undergoing preliminary investigation, while follow-up operations are ongoing to identify, track, and dismantle other members of the trafficking network.
The successful interception highlights the critical importance of denying terrorists and criminal groups access to illicit supply chains that sustain their activities. By disrupting these networks, Operation HADIN KAI continues to improve security conditions, weaken criminal influence, and reinforce law and order across the North East.
Operation HADIN KAI remains resolute in its mandate to eliminate all forms of criminality in the region and will sustain intelligence-driven operations to ensure that peace, safety, and stability are restored for communities affected by years of conflict.
