KEY POINTS

• Joint security forces destroyed three bandit camps in Kogi allegedly linked to a notorious gang leader.

• Several suspects were killed and kidnapped victims were rescued and taken for medical care.

• The raid follows another recent military operation targeting a separate terrorist network in the state.

Security operatives have destroyed three major bandit camps belonging to Kachalla in Kogi State during a coordinated operation involving multiple agencies, according to state authorities.

The state’s security adviser, Jerry Omodara, said the camps were allegedly operated by a notorious bandit leader known as Kachalla Babangida. He explained that the hideouts were overrun with superior firepower during Sunday’s raid, resulting in the deaths of several suspected bandits.

Omodara disclosed that the operation was carried out through a joint security effort involving personnel from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, and Department of State Services, alongside local vigilantes and hunters.

Authorities said the coordinated assault overwhelmed the criminal camps and disrupted their operations, marking what officials described as a significant blow against bandit activity in the area.

Rescued victims receive treatment after raid

During the operation, kidnapped victims held at the camps were freed. The Kogi State government confirmed that those rescued have been taken to medical facilities for treatment and stabilization.

Officials said that once cleared medically, the victims will be transferred to internally displaced persons camps before being reunited with their families.

The development follows another recent security raid conducted by troops in a forested area of the state. In a statement posted online, the army said the earlier mission delivered a decisive strategic blow to a terrorist network linked to criminal figures identified as Kachalla Ibrahim and Shu’aibu.

According to the statement, troops navigated dense forest, difficult terrain, fallen trees, and marshy ground during the operation, demonstrating what the military described as resilience and tactical discipline in dismantling armed strongholds.

Security officials say the back-to-back offensives reflect intensified efforts to restore stability and dismantle criminal networks operating within forested zones of the state.