By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits are reportedly planning coordinated retaliatory attacks across parts of Zamfara State following recent large-scale security operations that resulted in significant losses among their ranks, including the killing of a notorious kingpin’s son and several commanders.
The planned reprisals are believed to be linked to sustained offensives conducted by Nigerian military forces in collaboration with the and hybrid security units under Operation FANSAN YANMA, which targeted bandit enclaves in Tsafe Local Government Area and surrounding forest corridors.
The operations reportedly led to the neutralisation of about 65 armed bandits, including high-profile commanders operating under the network of Ado Aliero, a notorious figure linked to years of violent attacks, kidnappings and cattle rustling across Zamfara and neighbouring states.
Among those killed was Kachalla Iliya Sarki, identified as the son of Ado Aliero, alongside other field commanders who were said to play key roles in coordinating armed operations in the region.
Other commanders reportedly eliminated during the offensive included Dogo Sule and Iliya Mai Rasha, as well as additional field leaders who coordinated attacks across Tsafe, Maru and surrounding communities.
The losses are understood to have significantly disrupted the operational structure of the criminal network, even as indications suggest attempts by surviving elements to regroup and launch retaliatory attacks against security formations and nearby communities.
The planned reprisals are also said to involve large-scale movement of armed fighters across forest routes, with motorcycles used for rapid mobilisation and coordination across multiple axes.
The sources said the movement involved suspected bandits operating on over 200 motorcycles, assembling around Unguwar Tsamiya forest axis, with indications that a well-known bandit leader, Bello Turji, had been linked to the planned mobilisation.
Security sources said the sustained operations also dismantled several bandit enclaves in Munhaye and adjoining forest belts, disrupting logistics networks and freeing victims previously held in captivity.
One of the slain commanders, Kachalla Biyabiki, was said to have been holding several abducted victims at the time of the operation, while another leader, Kachalla Dogon Bete, was also neutralised during the engagement.
The development, according to intelligence officials, has significantly weakened the operational structure of Ado Aliero’s network but may also trigger retaliatory violence from surviving fighters seeking revenge.
Security authorities said the latest intelligence pointing to the likelihood of reprisal attacks, particularly against soft targets and isolated rural communities.
They added that surveillance and troop deployments had been intensified across vulnerable locations, with emphasis on forest fringes and highway corridors in Tsafe, Maru, and neighbouring areas.
Authorities also urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements, while assuring that ongoing operations would be sustained to prevent any breakdown of security.
Operation FANSAN YANMA forces, alongside DSS operatives and hybrid units, are continuing clearance operations aimed at dismantling remaining bandit camps and preventing regrouping across the North-West theatre.