Troops from the 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, operating under Operation ACCORD III alongside Other Hybrid Forces, have eliminated Babangida Kachalla, a notorious bandit kingpin in Kogi State, following an ambush that also yielded weapons, drugs, and other items from fleeing criminals.

The operation unfolded on September 11 in the Ofere Forest and Ayetoro Gbede areas after intelligence on bandit movements prompted an ambush at a crossing point. Though initial contact was missed, the troops encountered an enemy ambush during withdrawal, leading to a firefight where superior firepower neutralized one bandit, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, the brigade's spokesman, said in a statement Saturday.

A subsequent search recovered a fully loaded magazine, 31 mobile phones, a blood pressure machine, packs of Tramadol tablets, fetish charms, and ₦16,000 in cash. Bloodstains indicated several bandits escaped wounded, and intelligence later confirmed Kachalla—second-in-command to bandit leader Kachala Shuaibu in the Masalaci Boka and Ofere Forest areas—succumbed to injuries.

Abdullahi emphasized the brigade's ongoing dominance through patrols and ambushes to eradicate banditry and crime in Kogi. "The morale and fighting efficiency of the troops remain high as they sustain unrelenting pressure on the criminals," he added.

The success aligns with intensified efforts against banditry in central Nigeria, where groups like those under Shuaibu have terrorized communities with kidnappings, rustling, and attacks. No casualties were reported among the troops, and investigations continue to track remaining suspects.