Authorities have arrested three women who have been secretly recruiting members for the female wing of the Islamist militant group Boko Haram , Nigeria 's Defense Ministry said Friday . `` The arrested trio suspects were luring ladies , especially widows and young girls , by enticing them with male suitors who are mainly members of their terror group , for marriage , '' said Col. Onyema Nwachukwu , director of defense information . `` Before their arrest , they were on a mission to take additional briefing from the leadership of the terror group , '' said Nwachukwu . The suspects , identified as Hafsat Usman Bako , Zainab Idris and Aisha Abubakar , were arrested while traveling to the town of Madagali . Officials say one of the women , Hafsat Bako , was married to a member of the terrorist group who was killed by the military . `` Hafsat continued with the terror group , specializing in surreptitious recruitment of members into their fold , '' said the ministry . The arrests were made after a recent suicide bombing attempt on a military facility in the state of Gombe , carried out by a female suspect who blew herself up . Boko Haram has been terrorizing Nigeria 's Borno state in recent years and thousands have fled the violence . In April , the terrorist group abducted more than 200 schoolgirls in Chibok . The girls are still missing . Where are Nigeria 's missing girls ? On the hunt for Boko Haram . Boko Haram : A bloody insurgency , a growing challenge . What to know about Boko Haram .
Women were recruiting for militant group , government says . This effort involved finding women for marriage . Boko Haram blamed for recurring violence in Nigeria .