The deadly military operation marks a crucial step towards restoring security in northern Nigeria.
**Nigerian Military Operation Claims Lives of Bandit Kingpin and Followers**
**Nigerian Military Operation Claims Lives of Bandit Kingpin and Followers**
Joint forces eliminate notorious figurehead linked to rising criminal activities.
In a decisive military operation in north-west Nigeria, authorities have reported the elimination of notorious bandit kingpin Gwaska Dankarami and approximately 100 of his suspected followers. According to sources, Dankarami, identified as a significant target with links to an Islamic State-affiliated leader, had been hiding in the Munumu Forest. The operation, which occurred on Friday, successfully dismantled several other criminal hideouts statewide.
This development follows a grim incident earlier this week when bandits kidnapped 43 villagers and murdered four individuals in Maigora, located in Katsina State. The police stated that security forces were deployed to track down the kidnappers, reflecting the ongoing struggle against rampant banditry in the region. Notably, this is not the first time reports of Dankarami’s death have emerged; in 2022, the Nigerian Airforce claimed to have killed him during a similar military action.
Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mua'zu, characterized the operation as a significant victory in combating banditry, claiming it has disrupted the criminal networks terrorizing communities across the area. Following the operation, security forces also confiscated two machine guns and several locally made shotguns.
In a related operation on Thursday, security forces accounted for six bandits' deaths, including their commander, while categorizing several others as wounded and in retreat. The operation also yielded the recovery of seven motorcycles.
Katsina, the native state of former President Muhammadu Buhari, has faced a series of traumatic attacks attributed to bandits and kidnappers that have caused numerous fatalities. State Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda expressed a resolute commitment to eradicating criminal elements and ensuring vigilant monitoring of forests to safeguard local residents. Authorities have stated that these operations form part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at restoring stability to the north-west region of Nigeria.
