Crime & Conflict
Troops Record Major Breakthrough as Operation HADIN KAI Disrupts Illicit Drug Supply Network in North East Nigeria
Security forces conducting counter-terrorism and stabilisation operations in Nigeria’s North East have achieved another milestone as troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK)—operating under the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity V—successfully intercepted and dismantled a key drug trafficking channel believed to be supplying illicit substances to armed groups.
The development, which occurred during a targeted intelligence-led operation on 23 January 2026, highlights the increasing focus of security agencies on cutting off logistical and financial lifelines that fuel criminal and extremist networks across the region.
Intelligence-Led Deployment Yields Arrest of Key Suspect
According to operational reports, troops deployed to Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State carried out the arrest of Hauwa Abulazeez, a 65-year-old woman suspected to be a major distributor of cannabis sativa across communities within the North East theatre of operations.
Security sources described the arrest as the result of carefully coordinated surveillance driven by credible intelligence from multiple channels, including local informants, community watch networks, and inter-agency collaboration.
Investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly supplied cannabis to individuals believed to have links with Boko Haram factions operating around:
- Askira Uba
- Rumirgo
- Gwahi
- Wamdiyo
- Uvu
- Gaya
- And several smaller satellite communities
Her activities reportedly contributed to the flow of illicit substances used for both recreational dependence and transactional exchange within criminal environments.
Origin of the Supply Chain and Inter-State Logistics Path
Preliminary findings from military investigators indicate that Hauwa sourced large quantities of cannabis from Sarti Baruwa Local Government Area of Taraba State, a community known for its remote location and difficult terrain, making it a potential transit point for illegal trade.
From this sourcing hub, the substance was allegedly moved through established but discreet inter-state supply routes, bypassing several checkpoints by relying on local familiarity and concealed transport strategies. These routes reportedly connected rural areas in Taraba to border communities in Borno, enabling traffickers to evade detection.
Security experts note that such supply chains contribute significantly to the resilience of criminal networks, as drugs often serve as:
- A means of temporary stimulation for foot soldiers
- A medium of exchange for contraband
- A bargaining commodity among linked criminal cells
- A funding source through resale in remote communities
By targeting these channels, Operation HADIN KAI aims to weaken the broader logistical backbone of armed groups, limiting their operational capabilities.
Significant Drug Interception: 30 Kilograms Recovered
During the operation, troops recovered 14 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa. The blocks weighed an estimated 30 kilograms, a haul authorities describe as a major disruption of the illicit flow of narcotics intended for distribution across multiple communities.
The seizure is considered significant not only for its size but also for its implications:
- It represents the interruption of a major supply that could have generated substantial revenue for criminal networks.
- It weakens trafficking routes that serve multiple illegal outfits in the region.
- It demonstrates increased intelligence capacity among troops deployed under OPHK.
Military analysts observe that even though cannabis is not the only substance circulating within criminal supply chains, it often forms a foundational component because of its availability, demand, and profitability.
Impact on Terrorist Logistics in the North East
The North East’s security landscape continues to evolve, with armed groups seeking to maintain access to funding, supplies, and chemicals that sustain their operations. Drugs, in particular, play a complex role within their ecosystem:
- They often serve as morale stimulants for members.
- They create a dependency cycle that keeps vulnerable individuals tied to criminal groups.
- They generate revenue through resale or exchange.
- They are used to influence or manipulate new recruits.
By targeting drug suppliers instead of focusing solely on armed combatants, Operation HADIN KAI is applying a multi-dimensional strategy that weakens adversaries from within.
This holistic approach includes:
- Cutting illegal funding streams
- Disrupting supply chains
- Engaging communities in intelligence gathering
- Strengthening cross-state surveillance collaboration
This strategy aims to make it increasingly difficult for extremist cells to reinforce themselves, procure supplies, or sustain prolonged operations.
Suspect Undergoing Investigation; Network Expansion Under Probe
Following her arrest, Hauwa Abulazeez was taken into custody for further questioning. Investigators are examining:
- Her known associates
- The frequency of her supply runs
- Financial transactions associated with her trade
- Possible links to other traffickers in Taraba, Borno, and Adamawa
- The specific groups or individuals receiving the illicit substances
According to sources familiar with the interrogation process, the suspect is believed to be part of a much broader distribution network, which security agencies are now working to identify and dismantle.
Follow-up operations have already begun, with undercover personnel attempting to track:
- Middle-level distributors
- Transport facilitators
- Buyers linked to violent groups
- Hidden warehouses or rural storage centres
- Cross-border collaborators
Authorities expect that more arrests and interceptions could follow in the coming weeks as surveillance intensifies.
Community Cooperation and Local Intelligence Remain Vital
Security officials have credited community engagement for contributing to the success of the operation. Residents in several villages had earlier raised concerns about the rise in drug trafficking, especially among youths who appeared to be influenced by external suppliers.
This feedback helped security agencies map suspicious movements, track patterns of distribution, and identify hotspots where illicit trade was quietly thriving.
Military spokespersons reiterated that community cooperation remains one of the strongest tools in combating terrorism and criminal activity.
Citizens were urged to:
- Report suspicious gatherings
- Identify unusual movements in remote paths and forests
- Share credible information discreetly with security operatives
- Support anti-drug sensitisation campaigns in schools and markets
A senior officer noted:
“The fight against terrorism is not only won on the battlefield. It is also won in the communities, through cooperation, awareness, and timely information.”
Operation Desert Sanity V: Continuing Momentum in the Region
This latest operation falls under Operation Desert Sanity V, a strategic arm of Operation HADIN KAI that focuses on clearing, stabilising, and sanitising communities across the North East.
Its key objectives include:
- Disrupting extremist logistics
- Blocking illicit supply routes
- Securing rural communities
- Enhancing civilian safety
- Supporting return of displaced persons
- Preventing youth recruitment through economic incentives or drug dependence
Over recent months, troops have conducted multiple operations resulting in arrests, seizures, rescues, and the dismantling of criminal enclaves. The current achievement in Askira Uba adds to that growing list.
Strengthening Regional Stability through Multi-Layered Security
Experts note that disrupting drug trafficking networks has long-term implications for stabilising the region. Criminal economies thrive where governance systems are weak, and breaking these cycles is essential for rebuilding peaceful communities.
By combining:
- Land operations
- Intelligence surveillance
- Community policing
- Inter-agency cooperation
- Border monitoring
- Public awareness campaigns
…the government aims to create an environment where illegal networks cannot easily regenerate.
Conclusion: A Strategic Win for Security Forces
The arrest of Hauwa Abulazeez and the seizure of 30 kilograms of cannabis mark a major turning point in ongoing efforts to choke off illegal support networks across the North East.
With follow-up investigations underway, security agencies remain committed to identifying every link in the chain and eliminating it. The operation demonstrates the Nigerian military’s resolve to tackle insecurity not only through direct combat but also by targeting the silent networks that sustain criminal activity behind the scenes.
Operation HADIN KAI continues to show that weakening logistics and supply routes is key to restoring lasting peace, protecting communities, and rebuilding trust across the region.
Lawyers Ask EFCC to Remove Photos of Clients Facing Corruption Charges
Lawyers representing two defendants facing corruption-related charges have asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to remove their clients’ names and photographs from media publications linked to their ongoing criminal trial.
The lawyers argued that publishing the identities of the defendants in connection with the allegations could damage their reputations and create the impression that they had already been found guilty before the court reached a verdict.
The petition was submitted by J Aboje & Co., also known as Compass Chambers, on behalf of Folashade Oketope, a former chairwoman of the committee responsible for the sale of Federal Government houses in Abuja, and Mohammed Kabir Usman, a staff member of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
In a letter dated October 13, 2026, and addressed to the EFCC chairman, the law firm described the publications as an infringement on its clients’ constitutional rights, particularly the presumption of innocence and the right to dignity.
Lawyers Cite Presumption of Innocence
According to the petition, the letter followed an earlier correspondence dated July 28, 2026, concerning the publication of the defendants’ arraignment.
Oketope and Usman were arraigned before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi, Abuja, on July 13, 2026, on a three-count charge involving alleged conspiracy, breach of trust, corruption and the unlawful sale of government properties.
The allegations relate to the sale of four properties identified as Houses 3, 4, 7 and 8 at Plot 756, Abubakar Usman Crescent, Jabi, Abuja.
Oketope previously chaired the committee responsible for the sale of Federal Government houses in Abuja, while Usman was an FCTA employee seconded to the committee.
Their lawyers maintain that the defendants have not been convicted and should not be publicly portrayed as criminals while the case remains before the court.
The legal team also questioned whether the EFCC obtained permission from the court before publishing their clients’ names and photographs.
In the petition, the lawyers challenged the commission to explain whether it would apologise and withdraw the publications if the defendants were eventually acquitted.
Dispute Over Government Properties
The lawyers also referred to a separate case, identified as FCT/HC/CV/4094/2025, which they said was pending when the criminal proceedings began.
According to the petition, the separate suit concerns whether the properties in question belonged to the Federal Government and whether the committee could lawfully dispose of them.
The lawyers argued that the unresolved issues surrounding the ownership and sale of the properties should be considered alongside the criminal proceedings.
They urged the EFCC chairman to direct the removal of the disputed publications from all platforms where they appeared.
The legal team maintained that the defendants should be allowed to defend themselves in court without being subjected to what they described as prejudicial public exposure.
EFCC Reviewing Petition
The EFCC had not publicly responded to the specific allegations in the petition as of the time of the report.
However, a senior commission official, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed that the agency had received the petition.
The official reportedly said the commission’s legal team was reviewing the matter.
The dispute highlights the debate over how anti-corruption agencies communicate information about ongoing prosecutions while respecting the rights of defendants who have not been convicted.
For now, the request to remove the photographs remains a demand by the defendants’ lawyers, and the outcome of the ongoing court proceedings will determine the criminal allegations against their clients.
Crime & Conflict
₦110.4bn Fraud Trial: Witness Explains ₦1.425bn Forex Transactions Linked to Yahaya Bello Case
A bureeau de change operator, Jamilu Abdullahi, has told a court in Abuja that he handled foreign exchange transactions worth ₦1.425 billion on behalf of Abba Adaudu between December 2021 and February 2022.
Abdullahi, the 19th prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, gave the testimony on Thursday, October 15, 2026, before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
According to the witness, the transactions involved funds deposited into accounts associated with him and his company, Kunfayakun Global Limited. He told the court that the money was used to purchase foreign currencies, which he subsequently delivered to Adaudu.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Bello alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu over an alleged ₦110.4 billion fraud and money laundering scheme. The defendants are facing a 16-count charge.
Witness Explains Bank Transactions
While being led in evidence by prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Abdullahi identified several bank deposits and transfers recorded in accounts linked to him and his company.
He explained that some deposits of ₦10 million each made through a bank branch in Lokoja were connected to foreign exchange transactions arranged by Adaudu.
The witness maintained that the payments were not gifts but funds intended for purchasing United States dollars.
However, when questioned about other deposits recorded in his name, including transactions of ₦9 million and ₦8 million, Abdullahi denied making the deposits personally.
He told the court that he had never visited the Lokoja branch where some of the transactions were recorded, adding that his name could appear in transaction records as a beneficiary even when another person initiated the payment.
Abdullahi also identified several transfers involving companies he said were associated with Adaudu. He maintained that the funds were used for foreign exchange transactions and that he delivered the purchased currencies to Adaudu.
Witness Discusses School Fee Payments
The court also heard testimony concerning payments made to the American International School, Abuja.
Abdullahi said he processed school fee payments using account details and instructions provided by Adaudu. He identified Fatima Bello, Zahra Bello and Na’ima Bello as names familiar to him in connection with the transactions.
He further identified receipts presented in court as evidence of payments made to the school, explaining that he forwarded the receipts to Adaudu after completing the transactions.
During cross-examination by Abdullahi Yahaya, SAN, counsel to the first and second defendants, the witness said he had no direct dealings with any of the defendants.
When asked about the total amount he handed over to Adaudu, Abdullahi said he could not remember the exact figure because of the numerous transactions involved.
Court Adjourns Trial
Following the testimony, Justice Anineh adjourned the case until October 27 and November 24, 2026, for the continuation of proceedings.
The EFCC’s case centres on allegations that public funds belonging to Kogi State were unlawfully diverted and laundered. Bello and his co-defendants are facing prosecution over the allegations, which remain before the court.
The latest testimony forms part of the prosecution’s evidence in the ongoing trial. The allegations have yet to be determined by the court.
A Magistrate Court sitting in Bolade, Oshodi, Lagos State, has sentenced six men to two years in prison each for assaulting officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, popularly known as Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI).
The conviction was announced on Thursday, October 15, 2026, by the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.
According to Wahab, the six men were arrested in the Alakija area of Lagos on October 10 following an incident involving the assault of KAI officers who were carrying out their official duties.
The suspects were subsequently arraigned before the Magistrate Court in Bolade, Oshodi, where they pleaded guilty to the charges against them.
Following their guilty pleas, the court convicted each of the defendants and sentenced them to two years’ imprisonment.
The convicted men were identified as Ghadafi Ismail, Balarabe Mustapha, Usman Danladi, Abdullahi Bello, Kamala Garuba and Musa Idris.
Reacting to the development, Wahab stressed the importance of respecting public officials who carry out lawful duties on behalf of the government.
He warned that the Lagos State Government would not tolerate violence against enforcement officers, adding that offenders would face the consequences of their actions under the law.
The commissioner also urged residents to allow government officials to perform their statutory responsibilities without intimidation, obstruction or physical attacks.
The development underscores the state government’s position on protecting public officers and enforcing environmental regulations across Lagos State.
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