Troops of the Nigerian Army have neutralised Babangida Kachalla, a notorious bandit commander and deputy to the feared Kachalla Shuaibu, during a fierce operation in Kogi State.
In a statement on Saturday, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, spokesperson for the 12 Brigade, disclosed that the operation was conducted under Operation Accord III in collaboration with Other Hybrid Forces (OHF).
According to Abdullahi, on 11 September 2025, soldiers acted on credible intelligence about bandit movements in Ofere Forest and Ayetoro Gbede. An ambush was staged at a suspected crossing point. While the initial contact failed, the troops later came under attack from the bandits as they withdrew.
“In the ensuing exchange of fire, our troops deployed superior firepower, neutralising one criminal,” Abdullahi said.
Subsequent area exploitation yielded a cache of items, including a fully loaded magazine, 31 mobile phones, a blood pressure monitor, packs of Tramadol, fetish charms, and ₦16,000 in cash. Blood trails at the scene suggested that several gunmen fled with serious injuries.
Follow-up intelligence later confirmed that Babangida Kachalla, notorious second-in-command to bandit leader Kachalla Shuaibu, was among those wounded and subsequently died from his injuries.
Abdullahi added that Operation Accord III troops continue to conduct aggressive patrols and ambush missions to dismantle criminal networks across Kogi.
“The morale and combat readiness of our forces remain high. The Nigerian Army reassures the people of Kogi State of its unflinching commitment to restoring lasting peace and urges citizens to support operations with timely and credible intelligence,” the statement concluded.