THE headquarters of the Joint Task Force Operation Hadin Kai in the Northeast says troops of the 232 Battalion (Tactical), under Sector 4 of the theatre, have recorded a breakthrough with the arrest of a key drug supplier to Boko Haram in Adamawa State.
The suspect, 45-year-old Zubairu Muhammed, was apprehended in the early hours of Thursday in Uba town.
In a statement, the Theatre Spokesman, Sani Uba, a lieutenant colonel, said, “The suspect is believed to be a major distributor of cannabis sativa and ‘ice’ substances to terrorists across Askira-Uba, Chibok, Michika, and Damboa areas of Adamawa and Borno states.”
Recovered items include 14 blocks of cannabis sativa valued at over ₦1 million, 43.9 grams of “ice” worth more than ₦3 million, and two Army camouflage T-shirts allegedly used while distributing the drugs.
According to the military, preliminary investigations indicate that the seized substances will be handed over to the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)Yola Command, for further action.
The Military High Command commended the troops for their performance and urged them to sustain the operational tempo.
In May, The ICIR reported that the arrest of four security personnel was aiding terrorist operations in the North-East.
The suspects include two personnel from the hybrid forces who had been working alongside troops to combat the insurgency.
According to the Director, Defence Media Operations, Markus Kangye, the hybrid forces were arrested during operations from April 26 to 29 across Bama, Kukawa, and Madagali LGAs.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.