Nigerian Army Neutralises Bandits’ Kingpin in Kaduna

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government has said that a dreaded bandit leader, Kachalla Gudau, who commanded a large number of foot soldiers terrorising Chikun, Kachia and Kajuru Local Government Areas of the state, has been neutralised by troops of the Nigerian Army.

In a statement Wednesday, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the bandits’ leader was among others killed on Sunday in the ongoing military operations against bandits. 

Aruwan said: “Diligent exploitation of human intelligence networks corroborated other pieces of available intelligence, which confirmed that Gudau was indeed one of those felled by the bullets of the courageous troops as they repelled an attack led by the notorious bandit himself, ending his ignoble reign of brutality and evil.

“The remains of the notorious bandit – who is said to have links with other notorious kingpins across the North-west and North-central states – were retrieved in the Kankomi Forest where he bled to death.

“Credible sources reported that after his remains were retrieved, a large number of bandits under his command buried him in a location said to be around Kaku forest situated in Kaso general area of Chikun LGA.

“The identity of another of the neutralised bandits, whose remains were found by the troops, has been confirmed as ‘Rigimamme’ one of Gudau’s trusted criminal aides.  

“Gudau played leading roles in the joint kidnappings of students and expatriates in Kajuru, Chikun and Kachia councils, aside the murders of kidnapped citizens and victims who resisted abduction.”

“Added to these nefarious activities, Gudau was engaged in coordinated attacks on herder settlements, disposing them of livestock, which made him the illegal possessor of large herds of cattle.

“These he regularly traded for amounts running into millions of naira. He also made deals for illicit drugs and acquisition of sophisticated arms and ammunition.

“The high point of Gudau’s cattle rustling spree came in the first and second quarters of 2022, where in Kajuru LGA alone, he and his partners rustled 1,600 and 3, 332 cattle respectively, with a total of 4,932 cows stolen in the first six months of 2022.

“With the ongoing aggressive kinetic operations, Gudau’s cattle rustling – in Kajuru LGA particularly – began to wane, as 132 cattle were rustled in the third quarter of 2022 (the period spanning July, August and September). 

“The heat of the kinetic operations which denied his bandits freedom of action may have prompted the attack on the military base in Kankomi, where he met his waterloo,” he said.

The commissioner said the resolve of Governor Nasir El-Rufai to pursue the containment of terrorism and all forms of crime threatening the security and safety of citizens remains unshakeable. 

“The government of Kaduna State under his watch will continue to support security forces on all fronts. 

“The inglorious end of Kachalla Gudau is a welcome development and a clear statement that those who pose a threat to security and safety will certainly have a date with history, and will be made to face justice or their bitter end, no matter how distant it might seem,” the statement said.