Northern Nigeria, particularly the North-West, has experienced an alarming surge in violence largely due to the activities of armed militias, commonly referred to as “bandits.”
The conflict in north-western Nigeria has deep roots, dating back to 2011, following clashes between Hausa farmers and Fulani pastoralists. Over time, these local disputes have escalated into a full-blown crisis, with banditry reaching dangerous levels in states like Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina. These bandits terrorize villages, often with little resistance, causing widespread fear and instability.
However, security forces have continued to intensify their efforts to combat these criminal elements. Military operations, including airstrikes targeting bandit hideouts, have been ongoing. In May, the Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru, highlighted the success of coordinated efforts among the Nigerian military and other security agencies. He reported that over 9,300 bandits and insurgents had been killed, and an additional 7,000 arrested over the past year.
Most recently, the Nigerian Army confirmed the killing of a notorious bandit leader and arms dealer, Kachalla Halilu Sububu, during a significant operation in the northwest. Sububu, a prominent figure in the region’s criminal underworld, managed a large mining site in Anka Local Government Area and owned thousands of cattle in the infamous Sububu Forest.
The military has released a list of some of the most notorious bandit leaders neutralized in recent operations:
Full List of Killed Bandit Leaders:
- Buharin Daji: – a notorious armed bandit in Zamfara state, was reportedly killed in Nakango village, located near the border between Zamfara’s Dansadau Emirate and Kaduna’s Birnin Gwari local government area. According to a source, Buharin Daji and eight members of his gang were attacked and killed by a rival group of bandits known as “Dago Gide” after his refused to disarm following peace talks with Zamfara state authorities.
- Halilu Sububu – A key figure in regional banditry, Sububu ran a large-scale mining operation and controlled a significant bandit enclave in the Sububu Forest.
- Buhari Alhaji Halidu (aka “Buharin Yadi”) – Known for terrorizing citizens across the Kidandan/Galadimawa areas in Giwa LGA and other parts of Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara states.
- Dangote – A bandit kingpin killed in a gunfight with Kachalla Dankarami’s camp in the Dumburun Forest between Batsari and Jibia LGAs in Katsina State.
- Boderi Isyaku: – Responsible for the kidnapping of 39 students from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation and the 2021 attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna.
- Kachalla Dan Chaki: – Another significant bandit leader targeted by military forces.
- Dogo Gudali: – A notorious bandit leader eliminated during military operations.
- Dogo Rabe: – Killed in an airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force during an operation targeting terrorist hideouts between the Zurmi and Birnin Magaji areas in Zamfara State, as well as parts of Katsina State.
- Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga: – Both were killed alongside several of their fighters in a raid on their hideouts in Gusami Forest and Tsamre village in Zamfara State.
- Rufai Maikaji: – Commanded over 100 fighters and was a feared bandit leader in the region.
- Ya’u: – Killed in an ambush by Nigerian troops at a strategic crossing point in Burra, Ningi. His gang was notorious for using heavy weaponry to terrorize residents of Burra and neighboring communities.
- Alhaji Karki: – A once-repentant bandit who returned to criminal activities, Karki was killed while attempting to overrun a military unit in Niger State. He had been responsible for numerous killings, arsons, and kidnappings in the area.
- Yellow: – Operating several bandit camps across Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina states, Yellow was killed following airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force in both Katsina and Zamfara states.
The Nigerian military’s continued success in eliminating these high-profile targets has significantly weakened the bandit networks operating in the northwest, though the challenge of restoring lasting peace to the region remains daunting.
