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Killing of bandit leader Alti triggers reprisals in Zamfara–Katsina forests

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The reported killing of a notorious forest bandit commander, Alti, has sparked fresh rivalry and reprisals among armed groups operating across Zamfara and Katsina states, security sources and local informants have revealed.

Alti, who operated mainly in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, was said to have been killed recently in Katsina State after being lured into an ambush by rival fighters before troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA engaged the group.

“Alti and his men were drawn into a trap set by a rival faction. During the confrontation, several of his fighters were killed before troops later engaged the group in the area,” a security source familiar with the development said.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the bandit commander had reportedly risen to prominence following the death of another feared leader, Dan Isihu, who was killed about a year ago during the Islamic fasting period.

Following Dan Isihu’s death, Alti allegedly took control of the faction and vowed to intensify attacks across rural communities in the region.

Security sources said Alti was widely feared across Tsafe LGA and was linked to multiple attacks on villages including Dan Jibga, Kunchin Kalgo and Hayin Kanggana.

“He was responsible for several raids, kidnappings and extortion in those communities. His group had become one of the most violent factions operating around Tsafe,” a local source said.

Authorities also linked the group to the increasing use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by bandit groups in the North-West.

According to local intelligence, Alti had recently travelled to Libya, where he allegedly acquired explosive devices later used along the Zaria–Gusau highway.

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“One of the devices exploded near a truck carrying cement along the highway. The explosion caused panic among motorists, allowing the bandits to abduct travellers during the confusion,” the source said.

Security analysts say the use of IEDs represents a worrying shift in tactics among bandit groups, reflecting methods commonly associated with insurgent warfare.

Investigations further indicate that the ambush that led to Alti’s death was allegedly orchestrated by a rival faction linked to another bandit commander known as Isiya Kwashen Garwa.

The killing has since triggered reprisal attacks among the rival groups.
Sources disclosed that fighters loyal to the notorious bandit kingpin, Ado Aleiro, who is believed to be related to Alti, carried out a retaliatory attack in which the father of Kwashen Garwa was reportedly killed.

“The killing appears to be part of a revenge cycle between the rival groups competing for control of territories and criminal routes across the Zamfara–Katsina forest belt,” a security official said.

Despite Alti’s death, several fighters who previously served under him are believed to remain active in the forests around Tsafe.
One of them, identified as Umar Kachalla, is reportedly coordinating remnants of the faction.

Meanwhile, another bandit figure known as Babalo was also recently killed after sustaining injuries during a confrontation with security forces.

Local sources said Babalo had been receiving treatment for a gunshot wound in the Marde area after being injured during an earlier clash.

However, troops reportedly tracked him to the location and killed him alongside four of his associates.

Residents in several communities across Tsafe LGA say the deaths of key bandit commanders have brought a sense of relief after years of violent attacks, kidnappings and extortion.

See also  Hospital cleaner arrested for allegedly trying to sell placentas

“For the first time in a long while, people are beginning to feel some relief,” a resident of one affected community said. “But many of these fighters are still in the forests, so the fear has not completely gone away.”

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NSCDC Busts Baby Factory in Imo, Rescues Five Pregnant Women and Five Newborns

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March 15, 2026

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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Imo State Command has uncovered an illegal baby factory operating under the cover of a registered orphanage in the World Bank area of Owerri, Owerri West Local Government Area, leading to the arrest of two suspects and the rescue of five pregnant women and five newborn babies.

The Imo NSCDC Commandant, Mr. Basil Igwebueze, disclosed the development to journalists in Owerri on Saturday, March 14, 2026, revealing that the operation was triggered by a chance observation by one of his officers, who spotted a pregnant teenager fleeing from the orphanage premises.

“This prompted my officers to move into action at the orphanage, arrest the owner and rescue the pregnant women and newborn babies,” Igwebueze said.

The arrested suspects were identified as Tochukwu Ogaranya, 52, the owner of the orphanage, and her alleged accomplice, Godwin Nnamdi, 47. The five pregnant women rescued were aged between 25 and 33.

One of the victims, Chiamaka, a native of Ikeduru Local Government Area, told investigators that she had been introduced to the facility by an acquaintance she could barely identify, with the understanding that she would deliver her baby there and hand it over for sale. She said she eventually scaled the orphanage fence and fled when she could no longer endure conditions at the facility. She was subsequently intercepted by local vigilantes.

Ogaranya, however, denied any wrongdoing, insisting that her orphanage was certified and not involved in child trafficking. She claimed that Chiamaka had arrived at the facility pregnant, saying she was fleeing a man in Abia State who had impregnated her. Ogaranya added that she had contacted the police about the matter and was shocked when she learned that Chiamaka had escaped by scaling the fence.

See also  Hospital cleaner arrested for allegedly trying to sell placentas

Commandant Igwebueze condemned child trafficking as a heinous crime and commended residents for providing intelligence that made the operation possible. He urged Imo residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons or activities to security agencies.

“If the residents of the state had not assisted us with the necessary information, the command would not have uncovered such a criminal act,” he said.

Both suspects are to be arraigned and prosecuted, the commandant confirmed.

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PHOTOS: Troops Arrest Suspected Terrorist Informant During Operation in Yobe Border Community

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March 15, 2026

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Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 159 Battalion, working alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, have apprehended a suspected informant believed to be linked to insurgent groups in the North-East.

Security sources disclosed that the suspect, identified as Malam Fantami, a native of Dikwa in Borno State, was arrested during a military operation in Kanamma, Yobe State.

The arrest reportedly followed credible intelligence suggesting that the man may have been supplying information to terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

During the operation, troops intercepted the suspect and recovered several items from him, including a mobile phone, a smartwatch, prayer beads, a motorcycle key and the sum of N7,000 in cash.

Preliminary checks carried out by security personnel on the suspect’s phone reportedly uncovered suspicious content. The materials allegedly included photographs showing motorcycles, large bundles of cash, AK-47 rifles and other items believed to be associated with terrorist operations.

Military sources said the findings have heightened suspicions that the suspect may have been acting as a logistics informant or intelligence operative for insurgent groups active in the region.

Fantami is currently being held in military custody, where he is undergoing interrogation as authorities seek to determine the level of his involvement and uncover any possible collaborators.

The military high command noted that the arrest forms part of sustained counter-terrorism operations in the North-East aimed at disrupting the intelligence and supply networks that aid insurgent activities.

Kanamma, situated in Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State close to the Niger Republic border, has long been regarded as a strategic route often exploited by insurgents for movement and logistical support.

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Akwa Ibom Police Smash Human Trafficking Ring, Rescue Seven Victims from Three Countries

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March 15, 2026

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The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has dismantled a cross-border human trafficking syndicate, rescuing seven victims of different nationalities and taking four suspects into custody following a coordinated operation carried out on March 13, 2026.

The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, announced the development in a statement on March 14, 2026, revealing that the operation was triggered by credible intelligence about a vehicle ferrying suspected trafficking victims along the Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road.

Acting swiftly on the tip-off at around 8:00 a.m., police operatives deployed a patrol team to conduct a stop-and-search exercise along the route. The targeted vehicle was intercepted, leading to the immediate rescue of four victims and the arrest of the suspect transporting them.

Interrogation of the arrested suspect opened a wider trail, prompting officers to extend the operation to Itam and Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area. Three additional victims were rescued and three more suspects apprehended at those locations, bringing the total number of rescued victims to seven and arrested suspects to four.

Among those rescued are nationals from Benin Republic, Togo, and Nigeria. They have been identified as Asana Wohabu (18, Cotonou), Fusina Seru (20, Cotonou), Latif Ali (19, Cotonou), Malike Michel (Lomé, Togo), and Nigerians Mulica Ismail, Saidat Ismail, and Safura Ismail, all from Oyo State.

The four suspects in custody are Udeme Jacob of Mbo LGA, Effiong Ekop of Ibiono Ibom LGA, John Okon of Mbo LGA, and Ndukwe Ogbonnaya of Bende LGA, Abia State.

Investigators revealed that the syndicate specialised in recruiting and transporting young persons across international borders for exploitation. Authorities further disclosed that a key ring leader evaded arrest by fleeing through waterways from Ibaka in Mbo to Cameroon and Gabon, allegedly taking some victims along.

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The command confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that the suspects will be charged to court upon completion. It also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to aid in the protection of vulnerable persons and the dismantling of other criminal networks operating in the region.

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