Operatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Nigerian Army and the Department of State Services (DSS) have neutralised notorious bandit leader Kachalla Kabiru and several of his lieutenants during a coordinated joint operation in Kogi State.
Security sources disclosed that the operation, which included precision airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force, was carried out on February 13, 2026, following weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance that confirmed Kabiru’s presence at a designated hideout.
“Kachalla Kabiru and some of his top lieutenants were neutralised in a coordinated operation involving both air and ground assets,” a source said. “The strike was based on reliable intelligence confirming the kingpin’s exact location.”
Kabiru was reportedly central to the recruitment, coordination and movement of bandit groups operating across parts of the North Central and adjoining regions.
According to security sources, he relocated from the North West to Kogi over a decade ago, where he entrenched himself in forested areas and border communities. From there, he allegedly orchestrated kidnapping and banditry operations across Kogi, Kwara, Benue, Enugu, Edo, Ekiti and Ondo states, serving as a key link between criminal networks operating across state lines.
Sources further indicated that Kabiru played a critical role in logistics and manpower mobilisation for bandit groups, facilitating the movement of fighters, weapons and abducted victims along forest corridors connecting the North West, North Central and South West zones.
Security analysts described his neutralisation as a major operational breakthrough against organised banditry in the North Central region.
They said the development is expected to disrupt the coordination of criminal elements, weaken their logistical supply chains and significantly reduce their capacity to launch cross-state attacks.
The joint operation, according to officials, reflects sustained collaboration among security agencies aimed at dismantling criminal networks and restoring stability to affected communities.
Linus Aleke in Abuja
