Troops of the 12 Brigade Nigerian Army under Operation ACCORD III, working in conjunction with Other Hybrid Forces (OHF), have recorded another breakthrough in the fight against insecurity in Kogi State with the killing of a notorious bandit kingpin, Babangida Kachalla.
Naija News reports that the Army, in a statement issued on Saturday by the Spokesman of 12 Brigade, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, said the operation followed credible intelligence on the movement of bandits within the Ofere Forest and Ayetoro Gbede areas.
“On 11 September 2025, following credible intelligence on the movement of bandits within Ofere Forest and Ayetoro Gbede area, the combined troops laid an ambush at a suspected bandit crossing point.
“Although initial contact was not made, the troops, while withdrawing to base, ran into an ambush staged by the criminals along their route,” Abdullahi said.
According to the Army, a fierce gun battle happened in which the soldiers overpowered the bandits with superior firepower, killing one of the criminals on the spot.
During a search of the area after the encounter, troops recovered a fully loaded magazine, 31 mobile phones, a blood pressure machine, packs of Tramadol tablets, fetish charms, and ₦16,000 in cash.
The Army added that several bandits fled with gunshot wounds, as indicated by bloodstains discovered at the scene.
Kingpin Confirmed Dead
Subsequent intelligence confirmed that among those who fled injured was Babangida Kachalla, a second-in-command to Kachala Shuaibu, the leader of a bandit group operating within Masalaci Boka and Ofere Forest.
Kachalla was later confirmed dead from gunshot wounds sustained during the clash.
The Army maintained that troops of the 12 Brigade will continue to dominate the area through patrols and ambushes to dismantle bandit networks across Kogi State.
“The morale and fighting efficiency of the troops remain high as they sustain unrelenting pressure on the criminals,” the statement said.
Reassuring residents of its commitment to restoring lasting peace, the Army urged citizens to support the operations by providing credible information.
“The Nigerian Army reassures the good people of Kogi State of its determination to restore lasting peace and security, while encouraging citizens to provide timely and credible information to aid ongoing operations,” Abdullahi added.
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