Bandits’ leaders, fighters feared killed as rival groups clash in Zamfara

Five prominent bandits’ leaders and scores of their fighters were killed in violent clashes between rival bandit groups in Zamfara State.

The deadly clashes between Ado Aliero’s group and Kachalla and Dogo Bali group happened on Sunday in Mada village in Gusau; in Yankuzo, Yan waren Daji and Munhaye villages in Tsafe LGA.

Sources told Daily Trust that the fight happened when the Kachalla group ignored Ado Aliero’s warning that they should desist from attacking villages around the Yankuzo area, the axis that is hosting Aliero and members of the group.

One of the sources said: “It was said that Aliero had earlier warned Kachalla to stop harassing communities around Yankuzo but he failed to adhere to this warning.

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“So, on Sunday, we learnt Kachalla invited his friend Dogo Bali for an operation in the Yankuzo area. While Kachalla and Bali were busy operating, Aliero placed his men at a strategic place for an ambush attack and they killed scores of Kachalla and Bali’s foot soldiers.

“It is being speculated that during the gun battle that lasted for several hours, Ado Aliero’s group succeeded in killing many fighters among them four prominent bandit leaders: Dogo Bali, Dan Makaranta, Malam Gainaga, Mallam Tukur, and Malam Jaddi.

“Also, several other foot soldiers were injured during the gun battle.”

Aliero also attacked the camp of Alhaji Dan Nigeria, another notorious bandit leader, in Yan Waren Daji, forcing him to abandon the camp and leave behind over 150 AK47 rifles, the source added.

However, the fight escalated to other enclaves shortly after the news of Bali’s death broke, another source confirmed.

He said similar clashes among followers of the three bandits’ leaders occurred in Mada, Munhaye and Yanwaren Daji villages.

He, however, could not confirm the number of casualties recorded on both sides.

“We have heard about clashes between fighters of Ado Aliero and that of Bali and Kachalla in those areas, but at the moment, I don’t know how many people were killed during the fight. We have not heard from our people over there,” he said.

“Dabar Gahori is among the big enclaves that is hosting a large number of bandits of different groups. It has been long since the Nigerian troops raided the area. Virtually all the prominent bandits’ leaders have their foot soldiers in the Dabar Gahori super camp.

“Bello Turji, Dan Karami, Dogo Gide, Aliero, Kachalla, Dogo Bali, Damina and Sani Karami all have boys in this enclave. So, that is why the followers of the deceased terrorists engaged in a fight after the death of their masters,” the source further said.

A resident of Hayin Alhaji village, Muhammad Salga, confirmed that Bali’s foot soldiers went on a rampage around Hayin Alhaji to Munhaye village, killing fighters of other groups after the death of their leader.

Salga said Kachalla’s fighters had planned to confront Aliero at Yan Awaren Daji, but could not succeed as Aliero and his boys had already left the place.