A notorious bandit identified as Kachallah Buzu has been gunned down in Zamfara State.
Buzu was killed in a massive military operation in Zamfara, where bandits have wreaked havoc.
Hours before his death, the bandit whom ZagaZola Makama, counter insurgency expert, described as the boss of Bello Turji, another wanted criminal, had called for massive action against the military.
“Kachallah Buzu Made a video Yesterday calling on Turji, Dankarami, Dogo Gide, Bello turji and Others to stop killing poor people and focused their fight against the military. He is the Boss of Bello Turji. Now he has been suyanised by the Same Military in less than 24hour,” ZagaZola posted on X.
Numerous bandits were shot dead in the operation which happened on Thursday.
The troops reportedly seized motorcycles and a large cache of weapons. Hideouts of the bandits were also destroyed.
The development comes hours after operatives of Department of State Services (DSS) and the troops of Nigerian Air Force neutralised scores of bandits who attacked Bassa-Kukoki village, Allawa district of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
It was learnt that the terrorists were killed shortly after the air troops who flew Super Tucano jets rained airstrikes on them following an intelligence provided by the DSS through its facilities about the planned ambush by the criminals.
An highly-placed official within the security circle, said in Abuja that at least 3 members of the community were killed by the fleeing terrorists during the operations, adding that no security personnel was affected during the gun duel
“In that operation that happened in Shiroro in Niger State on Wednesday, no security personnel was lost, but some of the fleeing terrorists killed three villagers before they (terrorists) later met their waterloo,” the top security officer confided in our correspondent.
Giving an insight into how the operation went, the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information at NAF, Kabiru Ali, a Group Captain of the force, said no fewer than 28 bandits were eliminated during the operations.
Ali explained that the operation was targeted at the criminal elements terrorising communities in the local government area, adding that upon receipt of a request for air support from friendly forces in the area he air interdiction was carried out.
The NAF spokesman, who did not speak on the terrorists’ attack on the DSS assets, also disclosed that air assets observed over 100 terrorists engaging friendly forces in a fierce firefight before troops attached with Operation Whirl Punch stepped in.