A former Commander of the Joint Task Force, Dr Isma'il Tanko Wudilawa, has raised concerns over the growing involvement of women in the logistics and intelligence operations of terrorist groups operating in northern Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview, Wudilawa said sustained military offensives had forced many insurgents into remote forest hideouts, prompting them to rely heavily on civilian networks, particularly women, to sustain their activities.
He explained that some women are now allegedly being used to transport food, clothing, medicines, weapons and other supplies to terrorists, while others assist in gathering intelligence and facilitating communication between members of the criminal groups.
The security expert's remarks come amid recent arrests in Borno State of women allegedly linked to terrorist logistics. Among them was 65-year-old Hauwa Abulazeez, who was reportedly apprehended in Askira Uba Local Government Area with 14 compressed blocks of cannabis suspected to be meant for terrorists. Another suspect, Kellu Abba, 50, was arrested in Kukawa Local Government Area while allegedly conveying food items and personal belongings to her son, said to be a member of the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Wudilawa said women had long played critical roles in the operations of terrorist groups, especially in intelligence gathering, noting that they often possess valuable information about the daily routines and movements of individuals within communities.
"Women are still being used as informants. They provide information about the movements of targeted individuals within and outside communities," he said.
According to him, terrorist groups exploit the trust communities place in women by using them as couriers and intelligence sources. He attributed the trend to factors such as poverty, illiteracy, greed and the quest for financial rewards, while noting that some women are coerced into supporting insurgents against their will.
The former JTF commander also decried situations where members of the public obstruct security operations by resisting lawful arrests or confronting security personnel carrying out investigations.
He urged Nigerians to support security agencies with timely and credible intelligence and called on the government to improve economic opportunities and living conditions, saying such measures would reduce the attraction of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
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