Nigerian Army Confirms Killing of Bello Turji’s Associate in Zamfara

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the killing of a notorious bandit leader, Baleri Fakai, in Zamfara State. Fakai, a close associate of the infamous bandit leader Bello Turji, was reportedly among 30 bandits neutralized by troops in a recent operation in the Maru Local Government Area.

According to reports obtained on Monday, Fakai had long evaded capture and was considered one of the most dangerous bandits in the region. His demise comes shortly after he appeared in a viral TikTok video, where he was seen boasting of his invincibility. However, multiple sources, including security experts, have now confirmed that Fakai has been eliminated by Nigerian forces.

Former Presidential aide, Bashir Ahmed, also confirmed the development on his social media platform. Ahmed posted on X (formerly Twitter), “WONDERFUL: It has been confirmed that the joint security forces have eliminated the notorious bandit leader Baleri Fakai, along with 30 other terrorists, in Maru, Zamfara State. Fakai was a close ally of Bello Turji, who will soon meet a similar fate, in Sha Allah.”

The death of Fakai brings the number of top bandit leaders neutralized by Nigerian forces in the past 72 hours to five. Troops from Operation Hadarin Daji recently announced the killing of four other notorious bandit leaders: Ibrahim Nagure, Lawali Dodo, Kadiri, and Jambaleri, in separate operations in Zamfara. These operations also led to the elimination of Halilu Sububu, a key figure behind several terrorist activities in Nigeria’s North West region.

In another development, military forces have apprehended Hosseini Osman, a wanted terrorist kingpin, in Plateau State. Osman was captured in Ganawuri village, located in the Riyom Local Government Area. He confessed to orchestrating multiple deadly attacks, including a recent assault on Ganawuri village, which resulted in civilian casualties. Additionally, Osman revealed his involvement in a kidnapping syndicate responsible for numerous abductions in the area.

Using intelligence obtained from Osman, troops conducted a successful operation in Kyaram village, Kanam Local Government Area, rescuing several kidnapped victims.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation, Nigerian forces launched a strategic ambush on Boko Haram fighters fleeing the Sambisa Forest towards the Mandara Mountains in Gwoza Local Government Area. The ambush resulted in heavy casualties among the terrorists and the recovery of a significant cache of weapons and ammunition.