Collaboration of ONSA, Army and DSS Leads to Capture of Bandit Kingpin Kachalla Kabiru in Kogi

The joint efforts of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Nigerian Army, and the Department of State Services (DSS) culminated in the neutralization of renowned bandit leader Kachalla Kabiru, along with several of his key associates, during a collaborative operation in Kogi State.

Security sources reported that this mission, which incorporated precise airstrikes conducted by the Nigerian Air Force, unfolded on February 13, 2026, after extensive intelligence-gathering and surveillance confirmed Kabiru's presence at a specific hideout.

A source stated, "Kachalla Kabiru and some of his major lieutenants were eliminated in a well-coordinated operation involving both aerial and ground forces. The attack was executed based on credible intelligence pinpointing the kingpin's exact location."

Kabiru has been identified as a central figure in the recruitment, coordination, and transportation of bandit factions operating across the North Central region and nearby areas.

According to sources, he migrated from the North West to Kogi over ten years ago, embedding himself within forested locales and bordering communities. From this base, he allegedly coordinated kidnapping and banditry operations across Kogi, Kwara, Benue, Enugu, Edo, Ekiti, and Ondo states, acting as a crucial link among the criminal networks that spanned various state boundaries.

Additionally, sources indicated that Kabiru was instrumental in the logistics and manpower mobilization for bandit groups, aiding in the movement of armed fighters, weaponry, and abducted individuals along forest routes that connect the North West, North Central, and South West regions.

Security analysts have characterized his elimination as a significant breakthrough in the fight against organized banditry within the North Central area.

This operation is expected to disrupt the coordination among criminal factions, diminish their logistical networks, and greatly reduce their ability to execute cross-state incursions.

Officials noted that this joint operation underscores the ongoing collaboration among security agencies aimed at dismantling these criminal syndicates and restoring peace to the affected communities.