By Elizabeth Chimobi
The security situation in Northern Nigeria, particularly in the North-West region, has grown increasingly volatile due to the activities of violent militias, locally known as “bandits.”
These groups have terrorized rural communities, especially in the states of Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina, creating a climate of fear and instability.
The roots of this conflict can be traced back to 2011, when tensions between Hausa farmers and Fulani pastoralists escalated into widespread violence.
Over the years, these conflicts have intensified, with bandits carrying out kidnappings, killings, and raids on villages with impunity.
In response, Nigerian security forces have stepped up their efforts to combat banditry, launching coordinated operations against the militants. Military air strikes and ground assaults have targeted key bandit enclaves in the region, resulting in significant casualties among the insurgents.
In May, the Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru, reported that more than 9,300 bandits and insurgents had been killed, and 7,000 arrested, in the past year, thanks to improved coordination among the military and security agencies.
One of the most recent successes came with the killing of notorious bandit leader and arms supplier, Kachalla Halilu Sububu. Sububu, a dominant figure in the region’s banditry, controlled a large mining site in Anka Local Government Area and was a major player in cattle rustling within the Sububu Forest.
His elimination is part of a broader military campaign targeting top bandit leaders.
Below is a list of some of the high-profile bandit leaders who have been neutralized, as confirmed by the Nigerian military:
- Halilu Sububu – A major arms supplier and cattle rustler operating from Sububu Forest.
- Buhari Alhaji Halidu, also known as Buharin Yadi – Infamous for terrorizing areas in Giwa and Igabi Local Government Areas (LGA) of Kaduna, Sabuwa LGA in Katsina, and other regions in Niger and Zamfara states.
- Dangote – A notorious kingpin killed in a confrontation with Kachalla Dankarami’s camp between Batsari and Jibia LGAs of Katsina State.
- Boderi Isyaku – Responsible for the 2021 kidnapping of 39 students from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation and the attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna.
- Kachalla Dan Chaki – Another prominent figure in the banditry networks of the North-West.
- Dogo Gudali – A feared leader involved in numerous violent activities.
- Dogo Rabe – Killed in an Air Force strike during a military operation in the Zurmi and Birnin Magaji areas of Zamfara, and Jibia in Katsina.
- Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga – Neutralized alongside their gang members during a raid in Gusami Forest and Tsamre village in Birnin Magaji LGA, Zamfara.
- Rufai Maikaji – A deadly bandit commander who led over a hundred fighters in the region.
- Ya’u – Killed in an ambush by the military at a strategic crossing point in Burra, Ningi. His gang was notorious for using heavy weaponry to terrorize residents.
- Alhaji Karki – A former bandit who had once repented but returned to crime, Karki was killed while attempting to overrun a military unit in Niger State.
- “Yellow” – This bandit leader operated multiple camps across Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina, but was taken out by Nigerian Air Force airstrikes in Katsina and Zamfara.
The neutralization of these bandit leaders marks a significant milestone in the Nigerian military’s ongoing efforts to restore peace and security to the North-West region. However, the fight against banditry remains an ongoing challenge, with many more criminal elements still at large.