Troops of the Nigerian Army have recorded a major breakthrough in the fight against banditry in Kogi State with the elimination of Babangida Kachala, the feared second-in-command to bandit kingpin, Kachala Shuaibu.
The operation, carried out by soldiers of the 12 Brigade under Operation Accord III in collaboration with Other Hybrid Forces (OHF), followed actionable intelligence on the movement of bandits around Ofere Forest and Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area.
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According to a statement by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, the troops had initially mounted an ambush at a suspected crossing point.
Although the criminals avoided first contact, the soldiers encountered the criminals while returning to base and responded with heavy firepower.
During the exchange, one bandit was neutralised on the spot while several others fled with gunshot wounds.
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A sweep of the area led to the recovery of 31 mobile phones, a loaded rifle magazine, a blood pressure machine, narcotic substances, fetish charms and other items.
According to the statement, trails of blood suggested that the fleeing bandits suffered significant casualties with further intelligence confirming that Babangida Kachala, long considered a major backbone of the gang led by Kachala Shuaibu, was among those wounded and subsequently died from his injuries.
His death is seen as a significant blow to the group’s operations in the Masalaci Boka and Ofere Forest axis of Kogi state.
The Army reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on criminal elements through continuous patrols and ambushes, while urging citizens to cooperate with security forces by providing timely and credible intelligence to consolidate recent gains in the fight against criminals in the state.
