The Nigerian Army has announced the arrest of a 48-year-old Chadian woman suspected of transporting illicit drugs, alcoholic beverages, and other prohibited substances intended for terrorists operating in the Lake Chad Islands.
In a statement released on Friday, July 10, Mohammed Goni, acting military information officer for the headquarters of the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation Hadin Kai, confirmed that the suspect was apprehended on Thursday, July 9, during an intensive search operation along the Maiduguri–Monguno road in Borno State.
Details of the Arrest
According to Goni, troops intercepted a suspicious vehicle traveling towards Kwatan Doron Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. The driver, identified as Mrs. Rachael Samuel, a Chadian national from Kelo in the Chari-Baguirmi Province of the Republic of Chad, was found in possession of a large quantity of prohibited items.
“Preliminary findings indicate that the recovered substances were being moved to locations within the Lake Chad Islands, an area known to harbour terrorist elements,” the statement read.
Items Recovered
The items recovered from the suspect include seven compressed bundles of suspected Cannabis sativa weighing approximately 30 kilogrammes, two 10-litre containers of hydromercuric chloride (commonly known as “Suck and Die”), one carton containing 48 bottles of dry gin, and 61 bottles of herbal alcoholic beverages. The combined market street value of these items is estimated to run into millions of Naira.
Other items recovered include one mobile phone, two Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, personal effects, and cash.
Current Status
Goni stated that the suspect is currently in military custody, while the recovered items have been secured pending handover to the appropriate law enforcement agency for further investigation and prosecution.
