National SecurityNewsNigeriaAir Force Strikes Notorious Bandit Camp in Sokoto, Eliminate 3 Commanders

In a major development against banditry in Nigeria’s northwest, the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, conducted a successful airstrike on a camp believed to belong to notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji on 27th April.

The operation carried out in the Kagara Forest on the border of Shinkafi in Zamfara and Isa Local Government Area in Sokoto, reportedly inflicted heavy casualties on the bandit group.

The airstrike, conducted by the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji, eliminated three prominent bandit kingpins of Turji alongside other militants.

Turji’s commanders who were gunned down were identified by Zagazola Makama as Kachallah Uban Daba, Dan Jangeru and Dogo Na Hants. Turji himself narrowly escaped death while 13 combatants sustained gunshot injuries.

Zagazola Makama, a Lake Chad region counter-insurgency publication, reports that the injured gang members were sneaked into the Kagara community for medical treatment while survivors stormed two nearby villages Rijiya Malladan and Harin Shalla in an attack that saw houses razed. But the military responded on time and stopped the attack from escalating.

This successful operation is a potential turning point in the fight against banditry in the region. Bello Turji’s group has been responsible for numerous kidnappings, cattle rustling, and violent attacks on communities across Sokoto and Zamfara states. The elimination of these leadership figures could significantly disrupt the bandit group and weaken its operations.