In a decisive joint military action in north-west Nigeria, notorious bandit kingpin Gwaska Dankarami, along with 100 of his suspected followers, has been reported killed, igniting a mix of relief and skepticism among local communities. Dankarami, believed to be second-in-command to an Islamic State-related figure, was allegedly hiding in the Munumu Forest when security forces struck, destroying several associated criminal hideouts throughout the state.
This operation follows a harrowing incident earlier in the week when bandits kidnapped 43 villagers and executed four in a brutal attack on the village of Maigora in Katsina State. Reacting to these escalating threats, police intensified their pursuit of the kidnappers, a decision that set the stage for the recent military operation.
In a twist of irony, this isn't the first announcement of Dankarami's demise; he was previously believed to have been killed by the Nigerian Airforce in 2022, highlighting ongoing difficulties in combating the insurgent threat effectively. However, Katsina State's Commissioner for Internal Security, Nasir Mua'zu, hailed this development as a major breakthrough against banditry. Mua'zu emphasized that this operation has disrupted longstanding criminal networks which have plagued Faskari, Kankara, Bakori, Malumfashi, and Kafur.
Additionally, the military managed to recover and destroy significant weaponry including two machine guns and locally made shotguns during the operation. A separate undertaking led to the termination of six bandits, including their commander, demonstrating heightened efforts to address the persistent crime wave, with seven motorcycles also seized in the process.
Katsina, the home region of former President Muhammadu Buhari, continues to be a hotspot for banditry and kidnappings, prompting Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda to reaffirm the government's commitment to eradicating criminal activities and securing local forests to protect citizens. These recent missions are part of an expansive strategy aimed at restoring peace and security in both Katsina State and the wider north-west region of Nigeria, a zone that has recurrently faced violent acts from organized criminal factions.
This operation follows a harrowing incident earlier in the week when bandits kidnapped 43 villagers and executed four in a brutal attack on the village of Maigora in Katsina State. Reacting to these escalating threats, police intensified their pursuit of the kidnappers, a decision that set the stage for the recent military operation.
In a twist of irony, this isn't the first announcement of Dankarami's demise; he was previously believed to have been killed by the Nigerian Airforce in 2022, highlighting ongoing difficulties in combating the insurgent threat effectively. However, Katsina State's Commissioner for Internal Security, Nasir Mua'zu, hailed this development as a major breakthrough against banditry. Mua'zu emphasized that this operation has disrupted longstanding criminal networks which have plagued Faskari, Kankara, Bakori, Malumfashi, and Kafur.
Additionally, the military managed to recover and destroy significant weaponry including two machine guns and locally made shotguns during the operation. A separate undertaking led to the termination of six bandits, including their commander, demonstrating heightened efforts to address the persistent crime wave, with seven motorcycles also seized in the process.
Katsina, the home region of former President Muhammadu Buhari, continues to be a hotspot for banditry and kidnappings, prompting Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda to reaffirm the government's commitment to eradicating criminal activities and securing local forests to protect citizens. These recent missions are part of an expansive strategy aimed at restoring peace and security in both Katsina State and the wider north-west region of Nigeria, a zone that has recurrently faced violent acts from organized criminal factions.
