The Nigerian Military has recorded massive success in the fight against banditry and kidnapping in Zamfara State, with over 100 armed criminals eliminated during a coordinated air and ground offensive on Makakkari Forest in Bukuyum Local Government Area of the State.
The decisive blow dealt on the bandits occurred in an operation executed early on Sunday, through combined precision airstrikes from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) platforms and relentless ground assaults by troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA.
According to Military sources, the strikes destroyed dozens of motorcycles, which are the bandits’ primary means of mobility, while also levelling their fortified hideouts in the affected local government area.
It was gathered that for several weeks, Military intelligence had monitored unusual movements across the Sunke, Kirsa, and Barukushe axis, known hotspots for bandit activity.
This is as surveillance reports further indicated that over 400 fighters, led by some of the region’s most notorious kingpins, were gathering in Makakkari Forest to launch a retaliatory raid on Nasarawan Burkullu, a farming community in Bukuyum LGA.
“They thought they could regroup, rearm, and strike again,” a military source told Zagazola Makama, adding that, “Instead, they walked straight into a well-laid trap.”
Reports said the operation began with low-flying NAF jets unleashing precision-guided munitions on identified clusters of bandits, based on intelligence from reconnaissance drones.
The initial strikes neutralised several high-profile kingpins and scores of foot soldiers before they could return fire.
Those who attempted to flee the bombardment were intercepted by ground troops positioned in strategic locations, resulting in further heavy casualties.
The sources praised the “seamless synergy” between air and land components, which ensured that the fleeing terrorists were denied escape routes.
The Military said beyond the tactical success, the offensive as a clear signal of its determination to sustain pressure on criminal networks across Zamfara.
“Banditry thrives on fear and impunity,” the source said, noting, “We are dismantling both, one operation at a time.”
Meanwhile, Military insiders explained that the rising cases of kidnapping for ransom has made it into a profitable business venture for the criminal elements, mostly motivated by financial gains.
The bandits are reportedly working in cohort with jihadist elements currently involved in terrorist activities across Nigeria’s North East region.
