Kachallah Dan Isihu, one of the most notorious bandit leaders in Nigeria’s North-West, has been killed in a targeted military operation by troops of Operation Fansan Yanma.
The operation, which combined aerial bombardments and ground assaults, culminated in the elimination of Dan Isihu and dozens of his fighters, marking a significant blow to banditry in the region.
For years, Dan Isihu terrorized the states of Zamfara, Katsina, and parts of Kaduna, orchestrating raids, kidnappings, and cattle rustling activities. His reign of terror also included ambushing security forces and collecting illegal taxes from villagers.
He was implicated in the kidnapping of passengers on a Kaduna-bound train, receiving a staggering N800 million ransom from the negotiations. During Ramadan, Dan Isihu was notorious for intensifying his attacks, killing at least one person every day.
Zagazola Makama reports that the military operation to apprehend or neutralize Dan Isihu began after intelligence tracked his movements to a well-fortified camp in Zamfara's forests, a known stronghold of his criminal network. A joint task force, which included elite ground troops, Air Force fighter jets, and reconnaissance units, launched a swift and devastating assault on his camp.
In the course of the operation, military sources report that aerial bombardments successfully neutralized key positions, cutting off escape routes. Ground forces then engaged in intense gunfire exchanges with Dan Isihu’s men.
After several hours of resistance, the bandit leader was reportedly wounded and later died in the Danjibga forest. His fighters, left without leadership, began fleeing in disarray.
A military officer involved in the operation described the moment of victory: “We knew the battle was over when his men started fleeing. We had been engaged with them for four days, and when we learned he had been wounded, it was clear the mission was nearly complete.”
The death of Kachallah Dan Isihu is seen as a major victory in Nigeria’s ongoing battle against banditry. It provides a rare moment of relief for the residents of the affected regions, but security forces have warned that their operations will continue until all criminal groups are neutralized.
The success of Operation Fansan Yanma underscores the ongoing efforts to reclaim security in Nigeria’s North-West and serves as a stark reminder that organized criminal elements can be dismantled through sustained military action.
