Troops from the Joint Task Force Northwest have successfully eliminated notorious bandit leader Kachallah Buzu and several of his fighters in Zamfara State.
The operation took place on the night of September 12, 2024, in Mayanchi village and was the result of an ambush by the military, following intelligence reports on the movements of the terrorists.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, confirmed that the ambush was highly effective, leading to the elimination of numerous bandits, including their leader, Buzu. In addition to the heavy loss of life among the insurgents, the troops also seized 30 motorcycles and a large cache of weapons, crippling the group’s operational capabilities.
https://x.com/ZagazOlaMakama/status/1834518627858403652
Makama described the operation as a major victory in the ongoing fight against banditry in the Northwest.
In May 2024, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had declared Halilu Buzu, a native of Niger, wanted for coordinating terrorist attacks against both troops and civilians. Buzu was notorious for his involvement in illegal activities such as cattle rustling and illegal gold mining, and he was linked to the Farar Kasa massacre, where 19 villagers were killed.
Buzu’s camp and illegal gold mining site in Zamfara served as key operational bases for his terrorist activities. He was also identified as a major arms supplier, facilitating the flow of weapons from Libya, and would often flee to Niger when Nigerian forces intensified pressure on his group.
