From John Bassey, Gusau
Troops of the Nigerian Army have successfully neutralized several notorious bandit kingpins and recovered a cache of arms in a major operation across parts of Zamfara State.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Captain Suleiman Omale.
According to the statement, the operation was carried out by troops of the 1 Brigade, Nigerian Army, under the command of Brigadier General Timothy Opurum.
The terrorists were overpowered in coordinated attacks across Talata Mafara and Kaura Namoda Local Government Areas of the state.
In the early hours of May 1, 2025, troops of Combat Team 6 (CT 6) on a fighting patrol encountered a large group of armed terrorists who had infiltrated Mai Kwanugga village in Talata Mafara LGA. The assailants had been attacking locals and setting houses ablaze before the troops intervened.
Relying on intelligence, the troops engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun duel, neutralizing several of them, including five notorious bandit leaders identified as Auta Jijji, Dankali, Sagidi, Kachallah Rijaji, and Kachallah Suza.
Reinforcements from the 1 Brigade Quick Response Force (QRF) and 1 Brigade Special Forces (1 BSF) joined the offensive, successfully subduing the fleeing terrorists. The troops recovered the following weapons during the operation 4 AK-47 rifles, 1 PKT machine gun, 2 RPG tubes, 6 RPG bombs, 28 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and 43 rounds of PKT ammunition
The statement further reads; during a follow-up operation on May 2, 2025, local residents handed over additional arms and confirmed the identities of the neutralized terrorist leaders. Sadly, two civilians were caught in the crossfire by stray bullets. The situation is being closely monitored as security forces work to eliminate residual threats in the area.
In a separate development on May 1, 2025, troops of Combat Team 2 (CT 2), in collaboration with other security agencies, effectively quelled a protest by residents of Dayau village in Kaura Namoda LGA.
The protest, sparked by frustrations over recent bandit attacks, saw villagers block a major supply route by burning tires and obstructing traffic.
Security personnel carried out a non-violent crowd dispersal operation, restored order, and reopened the road. Normalcy has since returned, and routine activities have resumed.
Brigadier General Opurum commended the gallantry and professionalism of the troops and reaffirmed the Brigade’s unwavering commitment to restoring peace and security across Zamfara State.
The Nigerian Army has urged the public to continue providing credible information to security agencies and to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.