Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have arrested a suspected foreign drug courier and recovered a large cache of illicit drugs, alcoholic beverages and other prohibited items believed to have been destined for terrorists operating around the Lake Chad Islands in Borno State.
The suspect, identified as Mrs. Rachael Samuel, a 48-year-old Chadian national from Kelo in Chari-Baguirmi Province, Republic of Chad, was intercepted during a military operation along the Maiduguri–Monguno highway on Thursday, July 9. She was reportedly travelling towards Kwatan Doron Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area when troops stopped and searched her vehicle.
Confirming the operation, Acting Military Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, said preliminary intelligence indicated that the prohibited items were being transported to locations within the Lake Chad Islands, an area known to serve as a hideout for terrorist groups.
Among the items recovered were seven compressed bundles of suspected cannabis sativa weighing approximately 30 kilogrammes, two 10-litre containers of hydromercuric chloride, commonly referred to as “Suck and Die,” one carton containing 48 bottles of dry gin, 61 bottles of herbal alcoholic beverages, a mobile phone, two ATM cards, personal belongings and cash. The military said the seized items are worth several millions of naira.
According to the statement, the suspect is currently being held in military custody while the recovered exhibits have been secured ahead of their transfer to the appropriate law enforcement authorities for further investigation and prosecution.
Operation HADIN KAI said the successful interception dealt another blow to terrorist logistics and supply networks in the North-East. The military noted that intelligence reports have consistently shown that terrorist groups rely on illicit drugs and intoxicants to stimulate fighters, suppress fear and facilitate violent attacks.
The Theatre Command praised the troops for their professionalism and vigilance, assuring residents that operations targeting terrorists and their collaborators would continue across the region. It also appealed to members of the public to provide timely and credible intelligence that could assist security agencies in sustaining ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.
The latest arrest highlights the military’s continued strategy of disrupting not only terrorist fighters but also the supply chains that sustain their operations across the Lake Chad region.
