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How NAF Airstrikes Killed Zamfara Bandits’ Leaders, Others

Published

4 years ago

January 2, 2022

Alhaji Auta (right) was killed in the air raid PHOTO: James Barnett

Early morning airstrikes by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Saturday morning claimed the lives of two kingpins and about a dozen other bandits operating around Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that a notorious bandit, Alhaji Auta, was killed when a military jet dropped a bomb on him as he was being conveyed on a motorcycle from his camp to the location of his herds of cattle, early in the morning.

The sustained attacks also claimed the lives of many of his gang around his camp and adjoining areas.

The raid on Auta’s camp is a second major victory recorded by the air force within the space of a month, after the raid that killed the twin kingpins, Tawaye, in Dumburum in the first week of December.

Multiple sources confirmed Auta’s death yesterday, though there was no official report on the operation.

A resident of the area who doesn’t want to be mentioned said the bomb that killed the bandit was dropped on him while riding along Nasarawa Mailayi-Gusami Road.

While Auta’s death was corroborated by the sources who spoke to our reporter, the account of what followed after the first airstrike that killed him differed.

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A resident of Birnin Magaji, who gave his name as Jamilu, said 12 of Auta’s men were eliminated when they rushed to the scene to pick his body.

But two sources however gave the casualty in the second attack as seven, who, they said, were killed after Auta’s funeral.

Aliyu Birnin Magaji, another resident, said the jet returned to the area three times, after killing Auta, including around 9:30pm last night.

“Mourners who had gathered after he was killed were bombed and seven of them were killed. After the jet left, their friends came back to move the bodies but the jet returned and bombed them. Right now no one knows how many were killed as no one is willing to go there,” he said.

Aside Auta, another arrowhead in his group, Kachalla Ruga, was also reported dead.

Auta is among the four arrowheads of the gunmen terrorising the Birnin Magaji area, others being Alhaji Shingi, Alhaji Nashama and Shehu Bagewaye.

Commenting on the operation, a researcher who recently interviewed Auta, James Barnett, described Auta as a “deadly bandit” as he called for a concerted effort on all fronts to consolidate the aftermath.

“He was also a de facto powerbroker in Birnin Magaji. He kept that area from being overrun by other gangs like that of Turji and he had historically been one of the key negotiators in previous amnesty deals in Zamfara State.

“Federal and state governments need to be prepared for handling any fallout of his death, including bandits staging reprisals against local communities, Auta’s gang fracturing, or bandits who had been in amnesty talks withdrawing from these talks. Coordination between state and federal governments and all security agencies is needed to ensure that kinetic and non-kinetic actions are in sync and complement each other,” he said.

Daily Trust

Related Topics:Airstrikes Bandits Featured NAF Zamfara

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Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

Published

10 minutes ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has removed Mr Saidu Mohammed as the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), just months after his appointment, in a major shake-up within Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory leadership.

The President has also nominated Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the agency, subject to Senate confirmation.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the decision was taken “in the public interest” and in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

The statement explained that the move is aimed at strengthening regulatory efficiency and improving governance in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Pending Senate confirmation of the new nominee, the most senior officer in the NMDPRA will oversee the agency in an acting capacity.

The Presidency also thanked the outgoing Authority Chief Executive, Saidu Mohammed, for his service and wished him success in his future endeavours.

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Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, the newly nominated head of the agency, is described as a seasoned energy executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors. He is noted for expertise in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery.

He holds a degree in Accounting from Bayero University and is also an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

His nomination comes months after Tinubu initially submitted Mohammed’s name to the Senate for confirmation following leadership changes in key petroleum regulatory agencies. At the time, Mohammed had been expected to lead the NMDPRA, while another nominee was proposed for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

Mohammed, a chemical engineer with decades of experience in the oil and gas sector, previously served in senior positions within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) structure, including Managing Director roles at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company. He also participated in several national gas infrastructure projects.

The latest development is part of ongoing restructuring within Nigeria’s oil and gas regulatory framework under the Petroleum Industry Act, which has seen changes in leadership across key agencies.

The Senate is expected to consider the nomination of Rabiu Umar in the coming days as part of its confirmation process.

Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

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Police Order Dismissal, Prosecution of Officers Over Effurun Killing

Published

12 minutes ago

April 29, 2026

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police officer kills handcuffed suspect in Delta

Police Order Dismissal, Prosecution of Officers Over Effurun Killing

The Nigeria Police Force has ordered the dismissal and prosecution of officers involved in the extrajudicial killing of 28-year-old Mene Ogidi in Effurun, Delta State, describing the incident as “criminal and unprofessional” and inconsistent with police standards of engagement.

Addressing journalists at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, said the April 26 incident was unacceptable and reaffirmed that no officer has the authority to take the law into their own hands regardless of the circumstances.

The IGP confirmed that the principal suspect, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nuhu Usman, along with other officers involved in the operation, have been transferred from the Delta State Command to Abuja to face disciplinary proceedings. He added that the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC) has already taken up the case.

He further disclosed that three inspectors who were part of the operation have been subjected to an Orderly Room Trial as part of internal disciplinary procedures to determine their individual levels of involvement.

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Police Arrest Two Suspects Over Killing of 17-Year-Old UTME Candidate

According to the police leadership, investigations established that ASP Usman violated Force Order 247, which governs the use of firearms, as well as other standard operational procedures regulating police conduct during arrests and engagements with suspects.

The Force has recommended the immediate dismissal of all officers found culpable in the incident. It also directed that they be handed over to appropriate judicial authorities for prosecution over unlawful homicide after their removal from service. The recommendations have been forwarded to the Police Service Commission for final approval.

The Inspector-General distanced the institution from the actions of the officers, stressing that they acted outside official rules and the core mandate of the Nigeria Police Force. He stated firmly that “no uniform is a licence to kill” and reiterated the Force’s zero-tolerance stance on abuse of power and extrajudicial conduct.

He also extended condolences to the family of the deceased and assured Nigerians that justice would be served transparently. The IGP urged residents of Delta State and the general public to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands while investigations and disciplinary actions continue.

The police leadership said the case reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen accountability within the Force and ensure that officers who violate professional standards face appropriate sanctions.

Police Order Dismissal, Prosecution of Officers Over Effurun Killing

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Police Arrest Two Suspects Over Killing of 17-Year-Old UTME Candidate

Published

42 minutes ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai

Lagos Police Arrest Two Suspects Over Killing of 17-Year-Old UTME Candidate

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two suspects, Elijah Emmanuel and Tony Ekwane Oghanetega, in connection with the killing of a 17-year-old Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate, Thompson Omokhafe Adams. The case has also exposed an alleged wider criminal network linked to kidnapping and murder.

Police said the suspects were arrested during coordinated intelligence-led operations in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State. The operation followed days of surveillance after the killing of the teenager, who was reportedly targeted after returning from an examination centre.

According to the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, the arrests are part of broader security operations that led to the detention of 118 suspects in one month for offences including armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, and illegal possession of firearms.

Investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly confessed to killing the 17-year-old to cover up another crime. Police sources said the victim had reportedly identified one of the suspects before his abduction and killing.

A police source further disclosed that the suspects lured the teenager before attacking him. He was reportedly tied up and strangled after being taken to a secluded location. Investigators said both suspects took turns in carrying out the act.

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The police also linked the duo to an earlier kidnapping and murder case in November 2025, in which a female victim was abducted and killed after a ransom of ₦300,000 was collected from her family.

Authorities said the pattern of operations suggests involvement in organised kidnapping activities targeting victims for ransom and later eliminating them to avoid identification.

The Lagos Police Command also revealed that during the wider operation, officers recovered several weapons and incriminating items, including locally made pistols, a Beretta pistol, dane guns, cutlasses, knives, telecom batteries, suspected cannabis, and charms.

CP Jimoh said the arrests demonstrate the command’s commitment to intelligence-driven policing and ensuring public safety across Lagos State. He added that investigations are ongoing to track down other accomplices linked to the crimes.

The suspects remain in custody and are expected to be prosecuted after investigations are concluded.