Troops from Operation Fansan Yanma have eliminated notorious bandit leader Kachallah Dan Isihu, ending his years-long rule of terror across Zamfara, Katsina, and parts of Kaduna State.
Kachallah was a ruthless warlord responsible for numerous deadly raids, attacks on security forces, and mass kidnappings. He also orchestrated cattle rustling and extorted illegal taxes from villages under his control.
Beyond local banditry, he played a major role in the infamous Kaduna train attack, allegedly collecting N800 million in ransom from negotiations.
Security expert Zagazola Makama confirmed on his X handle on Thursday that the notorious bandit leader was neutralised in a decisive military operation.
Kachallah’s criminal network controlled key supply routes for arms and ransom payments, but with his death, it is expected to weaken under ongoing military pressure.
According to Zagazola, Kachallah intensified attacks during Ramadan, reportedly killing at least one person daily as part of what he termed a “personal obligation.”
In the weeks before his death, he carried out multiple high-profile attacks, placing him at the top of security forces’ most-wanted list.
These included: “A twin assault on Tsafe town that resulted in the deaths of the Tsafe Local Government Security Chief, vigilante members, and security operatives.
Daily ambushes along the Tsafe-Yankara highway, where he and his men terrorized travelers, launching up to seven attacks in a single day and coordinated raids on rural communities, burning homes, and forcing entire villages to flee.”
Kachallah’s operations were strengthened by his alliance with Ado Alero, another wanted bandit leader with a ₦5 million bounty placed by the Katsina State Government.
The military tracked Kachallah to a heavily fortified camp in the forests of Zamfara, a critical base for his operations.
Zagazola reported that under Operation Fansan Yanma, a special task force—comprising elite ground troops, Air Force fighter jets, and tactical reconnaissance units—executed a coordinated attack.
Zagazola described the offensive as swift and devastating: Aerial bombardments struck key positions, cutting off escape routes. “Ground forces simultaneously engaged Isihu’s fighters in a fierce battle.”
After hours of resistance, Isihu sustained fatal injuries and later died in Danjibga forest along with dozens of his fighters.
A military officer who participated in the mission recounted: “We knew the battle was over when his men started fleeing in disarray. We had been fighting them for four days. He was wounded earlier but later succumbed to his injuries this evening.”
Kachallah’s death marks a major victory in the fight against banditry in the North-West.
“For residents of Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna, his downfall provides a rare moment of relief. However, security forces remain on high alert, vowing to sustain their offensive until all criminal elements are eradicated,” he added.
