The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has carried out a series of precision airstrikes in Tsafe Local Government Area (LGA) of Zamfara State, reportedly killing several bandits and disrupting their operations.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counterinsurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the strikes targeted Ado Aliero, a notorious bandit leader, and his associate, Dan Umaru. The operation, executed by the air component of Operation Fasan Yamma, destroyed key networks used by the bandit leaders to coordinate regional activities.
Intelligence sources revealed that the strikes neutralized high-value targets, disrupted bandits’ regrouping efforts, and killed dozens, with flames reportedly engulfing Dan Umaru’s residence. The sites hit were identified as critical hubs for planning terrorist attacks.
Zamfara and other northwestern states have faced relentless banditry and insecurity for over a decade. The military has ramped up efforts to combat these threats, with notable successes in recent months.
In September, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji eliminated Kachallah Buzu, a notorious bandit kingpin, alongside several of his fighters in Mayanchi village of Zamfara State. Around the same time, NAF airstrikes in Niger State thwarted a planned terrorist attack, killing at least 28 bandits near Department of State Services (DSS) facilities in Shiroro LGA.
These operations underscore the military’s resolve to restore stability to the region.
