Nigerian troops kill leader of top bandits — Nigeria — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

One of Nigeria’s most notorious bandit leaders has been killed in a military ambush, military and security sources said Friday, in a move seen as a major victory in the fight against criminal gangs.

Nigerian armed forces have been battling criminal gangs described as bandits for years, who attack communities in northwestern and central Nigeria.

The gangs regularly raid villages, kill and kidnap residents for ransom, and loot and burn down homes.

Halilu Sububu, also known as Halilu Buzu, was killed along with dozens of his fighters in an hours-long gun battle on Thursday. The attack on his convoy was carried out by soldiers who had received information about his movements.

“In a decisive joint operation led by three personnel of the Nigerian Air Force Special Forces, a notorious bandit, Halilu Sububu, and over 38 terrorists were neutralised during an engagement,” Group Commander Kabiru Ali, a spokesman for the Nigerian Air Force, said in a statement.

Ali said a “significant amount of weapons” including rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and ammunition were found after the battle.

From his base in Zamfara, Sububu attacked communities in Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina and Niger states.

According to security sources, Sububu and his motorcycle convoy of about 60 fighters were ambushed by troops in Mayanchi, a village in Zurmi district.

The fighting continued into Friday morning, killing Sububu and most of his fighters, including his senior comrades, security sources said.

The 38-year-old, who also went by the alias Kachalla Halilu Tubali, was involved in illegal mining and arms trafficking, supplying weapons to criminal gangs from Libya via Niger.

Sububu ran an illegal gold mine in Bagega and dominated communities around the Sunke forest in the gold-rich Anka district.

He was one of 19 bandit leaders for whom the Nigerian military offered a five million naira ($3,050) reward in November 2022.

In May, Nigeria’s defense minister declared him wanted for the second time, highlighting his key role in banditry in the northwest.

On October 24, 2022, he narrowly escaped a Nigerian airstrike on his enclave, which killed at least 30 of his fighters.