Women Exploited by Terrorists for Logistics in Nigeria

Dr. Isma’il Tanko Wudilawa, a security expert and former Joint Task Force commander, reported that terrorists in northern Nigeria are increasingly utilizing women for logistics and intelligence purposes. He explained that military offensives have driven terrorists into remote areas, compelling them to rely on civilian networks, particularly women, for transporting supplies and gathering intelligence.

Recent arrests in Borno State included Hauwa Abulazeez, 65, who was apprehended in Askira Uba with cannabis allegedly intended for terrorists, and Kellu Abba, 50, arrested in Kukawa while carrying food items for her son, a suspected member of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Wudilawa noted that women are often coerced into these roles due to poverty and illiteracy, while some willingly participate.

He urged the public to support security operations and called for government action to improve socio-economic conditions to deter involvement in terrorism and related crimes.