In what security operatives have described as a significant breakthrough in ongoing counter-banditry operations, a notorious bandit leader was captured mere hours after suspected members of his criminal gang launched a deadly assault that left seven people dead in a northern community.
The brutal attack, which occurred late Sunday evening in a rural settlement in the North-West zone, saw armed men invade the village in a coordinated ambush, firing sporadically and setting several homes ablaze. Eyewitness accounts say the assailants arrived on motorcycles and operated with impunity before retreating into the forest.
Security sources confirmed that following swift intelligence gathering and aerial surveillance, the ringleader of the gang — whose name is being withheld for operational reasons — was apprehended during a targeted operation carried out by a joint team of military forces, local vigilantes, and operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to insiders, the apprehended suspect has been on the Federal Government’s wanted list for over a year and is believed to be responsible for multiple high-profile attacks, kidnappings, and extortion schemes that have plagued communities across parts of Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina States.
“This arrest is a significant step in dismantling a network that has terrorised citizens for far too long,” said a senior security official. “The suspect is currently in custody and providing valuable intelligence that may lead to further arrests in the coming days.”
The deadly Sunday attack drew widespread condemnation from both government officials and civil society actors. In a statement issued Monday, the State Governor described the killings as “senseless and inhuman,” while urging security agencies to sustain the momentum in tracking down all perpetrators.
Community leaders, while mourning their dead, called for increased security presence in rural areas, stressing that many villages have been left vulnerable due to the remoteness of their locations and limited access to security infrastructure.
As investigations continue, residents remain on edge but hopeful that the arrest signals a turning point in efforts to reclaim their communities from the grip of armed banditry.
The Nigerian military has vowed to intensify clearance operations across forest enclaves known to harbour criminal elements, in line with the broader national security strategy to restore peace and order in the region.
