Troops kill five bandit leaders in Zamfara, recover weapons

Troops of 1 Brigade have killed five bandit leaders in the Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The spokesman of 1 Brigade, Captain Suleiman Omale, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

He said the operation was carried out on May 1 after troops on fighting patrol encountered a large number of armed terrorists who had infiltrated Mai Kwanugga village. “The terrorists had been attacking locals and setting houses ablaze before the arrival of troops. Upon contact, the troops decisively engaged the criminals in a fierce gun duel, successfully neutralising terrorists, including five notorious bandit leaders identified as Auta Jijji, Dankali, Sagidi, Kachallah Rijaji, and Kachallah Suza.

“Reinforcements from 1 Brigade Quick Response Force (QRF) and 1 Brigade Special Forces (1 BSF) pursued the fleeing terrorists, resulting in the recovery of a cache of weapons,” the statement read. The arms recovered from the terrorists, according to the statement, include four AK-47s, one PKT machine gun, two RPG tubes, six RPG bombs, 28 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and 43 rounds of PKT ammunition.

Omale stated that two civilians were caught in the crossfire by stray bullets, adding that the situation is being closely monitored and efforts to clear the area of residual threats continue. “In a separate development on 1 May 2025, troops of Combat Team 2 (CT 2), in coordination with other security agencies, effectively responded to a protest by residents of Dayau village in Kaura Namoda LGA. The villagers, expressing frustration over recent bandit attacks, had blocked a major supply route by burning tires and obstructing traffic.

“The security team conducted a non-violent crowd dispersal operation, restored calm, and reopened the road. Normalcy has since returned to the area, and routine activities have resumed,” he said. On his part, the Brigade Commander, Timothy Opurum, commended the gallantry and professionalism of the troops. Opurum, a Brigadier General, reassured citizens of the brigade’s unalloyed commitment to restoring peace and security across the state.

He also encouraged the public to continue providing credible information to security agencies and avoid taking the law into their hands.