Troops of the Nigerian Army have killed a notorious bandit deputy commander, Babangida Kachala, and five other fighters during an operation in Kogi State.
The operation, carried out by the 12 Brigade Lokoja under Operation Accord III in collaboration with Other Hybrid Forces (OHF), took place on September 11 in Ofere Forest and Ayetoro Gbede area of Ijumu Local Government Area.
Spokesperson of the brigade, Lt. Hassan Abdullahi, confirmed the breakthrough in a statement on Saturday, describing the raid as a major blow to the bandit network operating in the state.
He said: “In a bold operation, troops neutralised Babangida Kachala, second-in-command to Kachala Bala Shuaibu, leader of a notorious bandit group. The operation was launched following credible intelligence on the movement of bandits around Ofere Forest and Ayetoro Gbede.”
Abdullahi explained that although the initial ambush did not yield results, troops later came under fire from the criminals while withdrawing to base. A fierce gun battle ensued, during which the soldiers overpowered the gang.
Items recovered from the scene included a fully loaded magazine, 31 mobile phones, charms, a blood pressure machine, packs of tramadol tablets, and ₦16,000 in cash.
The army further disclosed that bloodstains suggested that several other fighters escaped with gunshot wounds. Subsequent intelligence later confirmed that Kachala, who had been injured during the firefight, died afterwards.
Lt. Abdullahi assured residents of the Army’s commitment to restoring peace and urged locals to continue providing credible information to security agencies.
“The morale and fighting efficiency of our troops remain high, and operations will continue until lasting peace is achieved,” he said.
The killing of Kachala marks one of the most significant counter-banditry operations in Kogi in recent months
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