At least 68 suspected bandits have been killed during an ongoing military clearance operation in Maikujera, Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State, as security forces intensify efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating across the state’s forest corridors.
The operation involved soldiers, mobile police personnel and local vigilantes who reportedly ambushed the suspected bandits as they attempted to return to their forest hideouts after attacking communities in neighbouring Bodinga Local Government Area.
Security sources told journalists that the operation was launched after the bandits emerged from the Gundumi Forest and moved into Maikujera before returning towards the forest in the early hours of Friday.
According to the sources, security operatives mounted an ambush along the route used by the criminals and engaged them as they attempted to retreat into the forest.
The troops reportedly deployed Armoured Personnel Carriers during the confrontation, gaining the upper hand and inflicting heavy casualties on the suspected bandits.
The sources said at least 68 bandits were killed in the operation, while several others escaped into surrounding farms and thick vegetation.
A large number of cattle believed to have been rustled by the criminals were also killed during the confrontation.
The suspected bandits were reportedly using some of the rustled cattle as human shields during the encounter, forcing the animals into the line of confrontation as the security forces engaged them.
The surviving livestock were said to have scattered into nearby forests after the fighting.
A resident of Maikujera, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the operation, said the suspected bandits had been holding meetings in the area for several days before the security forces moved against them.
The source said the group was believed to be loyal to notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji and had allegedly been using forest routes to transport stolen cattle between communities in Rabah and other parts of Sokoto.
“The military personnel have fully mobilised their personnel and resources for the operation and are pursuing the bandits,” the source said.
The source added that some of the fleeing bandits abandoned their weapons as they attempted to escape through farms and thick vegetation.
“Some of the bandits even abandoned their rifles and fled into nearby farms, taking advantage of the thick vegetation to hide,” the source said.
According to the sources, the bandits initially moved from the Gundumi Forest through the Sabaru Forest before entering Maikujera on Wednesday.
They reportedly returned towards the forest at about 3am on Thursday after allegedly attacking Sifawa and other communities in Bodinga Local Government Area.
Security operatives subsequently pursued the suspected criminals through forest routes linking Dange-Shuni and Rabah, where the confrontation reportedly took place.
The operation has since extended into surrounding bushes and border areas connecting Rabah with Sabon Birni and Isa local government areas.
The sources said some of the surviving bandits were repeatedly seen attempting to climb a nearby hill while trying to evade the security forces.
The military operation is expected to continue as troops conduct searches for fleeing members of the group and attempt to recover weapons and other items abandoned during the confrontation.
Confirming the military operation, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army’s 8 Division, Lieutenant-Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, described the exercise as a major success but declined to provide further operational details.
“The operation was hugely successful. Details will be made public in due course,” Osoba said.
The Army spokesman’s confirmation provides official backing for the ongoing operation, although the military has yet to independently release a casualty figure or provide details of the weapons recovered from the suspected bandits.
Security personnel are reportedly maintaining their presence around the affected forests to prevent surviving members of the criminal group from regrouping.
The operation also comes as security forces face continued challenges posed by criminal gangs operating from remote forests across Sokoto and other parts of the Northwest.
Such forest corridors have frequently been exploited by armed groups as routes for movement, cattle rustling, attacks on rural communities and the transportation of stolen property.
The use of forests stretching across local government and state boundaries has also made it difficult for security agencies to contain criminal groups, allowing fleeing fighters to cross into neighbouring jurisdictions after attacks.
Residents of Maikujera and surrounding communities reportedly welcomed the military operation, describing the sustained presence of security personnel as necessary to protect farmers, herders and other residents.
Some residents, however, called for the operation to be sustained beyond the current clearance exercise, warning that withdrawing troops too quickly could allow surviving bandits to return to the area.
The communities have also urged security agencies to strengthen patrols along forest routes and monitor movements between Rabah, Sabon Birni and Isa, where criminal groups are believed to operate.
The reported killing of 68 suspected bandits could represent a significant setback for the group involved in the operation, particularly if the casualties include commanders and fighters responsible for organising attacks and moving stolen livestock.
However, security agencies are expected to verify the identities of those killed and establish the extent of the damage inflicted on the criminal network.
The military is also expected to intensify intelligence gathering to track fighters who escaped the operation and prevent them from reorganising in other forest locations.
The clearance operation highlights the increasing reliance on coordinated operations involving conventional troops, police personnel and community-based security actors in tackling banditry across the Northwest.
Local vigilantes often provide security agencies with information about difficult terrain, movement routes and the activities of criminal groups operating around rural communities.
The involvement of Armoured Personnel Carriers in the operation also underscores the scale of the military response to heavily armed groups operating in remote forest areas.
For communities affected by banditry, sustained operations remain crucial to restoring confidence, protecting agricultural activities and allowing residents to return to their farms without fear of attacks.
The security situation in parts of Sokoto has continued to affect farming and livestock activities, with rural residents facing risks from cattle rustling, kidnapping and attacks by armed groups.
The latest operation is therefore likely to be closely monitored by residents and security stakeholders as authorities determine whether the military offensive can disrupt the wider network operating around the forest corridors.
West Trybe reports that the operation comes amid intensified efforts by security agencies to dismantle bandit networks operating across Sokoto and other parts of Northwest Nigeria. The reported killing of 68 suspected bandits, if sustained by further military confirmation, could weaken criminal operations in the affected forest corridor, but continued surveillance, intelligence-led operations and a sustained security presence will be necessary to prevent surviving fighters from regrouping.
