Residents of Tsafe Local Government Area in Zamfara State have praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Minister of State for Defence Hon. Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, following the successful elimination of notorious bandits in the region.
The commendation came in a statement signed by Dr Alhassan Usman Tsafe on behalf of the local population and made available to journalists on Thursday.
According to the statement, the people of Tsafe are now beginning to “breathe fresh air” and live without the constant fear of bandit attacks, thanks to intensified military operations under President Tinubu’s administration.
Troops of Operation Forest Yakin (OPFY) recently recorded a major victory during an offensive mission on 10 June in Ƙunchin Kalgo District, where they neutralised a prominent terrorist leader known as Auta, along with his close associates Abdul Jamilu and Salisu.
The operation, which relied heavily on credible intelligence, resulted in a fierce gun battle that left the terrorists overwhelmed and killed. The fate of another wanted kingpin, Babaye, remains unclear, though local sources suspect he may have also perished in the attack.
Sale Ado Madele, also known as Sarki and the eldest son of infamous bandit leader Ado Alieru, reportedly escaped through nearby farmlands while farmers were working. His current whereabouts are unknown.
Intelligence reports suggest panic is spreading within the remaining ranks of the terror group, as sympathisers search desperately for Babaye and others unaccounted for after the clash.
This latest breakthrough followed another successful strike by the Nigerian military on 9 June at a filling station in Danjibga, where troops reportedly eliminated about ten terrorists linked to a plot hatched by one Dogo Sule.
One of the dead was allegedly buried at the Danjibga graveyard with the involvement of a local contact, Alhaji Hamza MKO, reportedly assigned by Sule to oversee funeral rites.
The series of coordinated military actions has been hailed as a turning point in the counterterrorism efforts across Zamfara, bringing renewed hope to communities long tormented by armed groups.
Community leaders have reaffirmed their support for the federal government and security forces, urging them to sustain the momentum until all criminal enclaves are dismantled.