Security forces have killed notorious bandit kingpin Kachalla Kabiru in a decisive joint operation, neutralising him along with several of his top lieutenants in a coordinated strike that targeted his hideout and dealt a major blow to organised banditry in the region.
The operation was carried out by operatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) and the 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, with support from the Nigerian Air Force which executed precision airstrikes.
Intelligence sources confirmed that Kachalla Kabiru and some of his key lieutenants were successfully neutralised during the mission.
“Kachalla Kabiru and some of his top lieutenants were neutralised in a coordinated operation involving air and ground assets,” an intelligence source said.
The slain kingpin was identified by security agencies as one of the earliest and most influential bandit leaders to establish a strong operational foothold in Kogi State.
He was deeply involved in the recruitment, coordination, and movement of bandits across several states in North Central Nigeria, significantly contributing to the expansion and sophistication of criminal networks in the region.
Kabiru originally migrated from the North West to Kogi State more than a decade ago, where he steadily built a sprawling criminal enterprise centred on kidnapping for ransom and armed violence.
“He moved from the North West into Kogi over 10 years ago and entrenched himself in the forests and border communities,” a senior security official said.
“From there, he coordinated kidnapping and banditry operations across Kogi, Kwara, Benue, Enugu, Edo, Ekiti and Ondo states. He was a key node linking criminal groups across state lines.”
Intelligence sources further disclosed that Kabiru played a central role in logistics and manpower mobilisation for bandit groups, facilitating the movement of fighters, weapons, and kidnapped victims between forest corridors stretching from the North West into the North Central and South West zones.
“The operation was executed through precision airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force, coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser in collaboration with the Department of State Services and 2 Division of Nigeria Army,” an intelligence source added.
“The strike followed credible intelligence confirming the kingpin’s presence at a designated target location.
“Successful neutralisation of Kachalla Kabiru represents a significant blow to organised banditry in the North Central zone and is expected to disrupt operational coordination among criminal elements,” the source continued.
The decisive strike was conducted on February 13, 2026, following weeks of sustained intelligence gathering and surveillance that confirmed the presence of the bandit leader at the designated hideout in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria.