Armed bandits set up military camp in defence minister Dan-Ali's home town in Zamfara State

INSECURITY looks set to increase in Zamfara State after armed bandits who have been causing mayhem there over recent months stepped up their activities with the establishment of a camp in Tsamari in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area.

Birnin Magaji, the headquarters of the local government area is the hometown of Nigeria's defence minister Retired General Mansur Dan-Ali. Over the last few days, the Nigerian Air Force (Naf) sighted the bandits’ camp after which the military called in an Alpha Jet aircraft to strike the base.

Subsequently,  the military strike was carried out by the Air Task Force of Operation Diran Mikiya, a military operation dedicated to tackling bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements in northwest Nigeria. In Zamfara State, the bandits, responsible for numerous recent killings attacked Doburu in the Zurmi Local Government Area on Saturday, where an unspecified number of soldiers were feared killed.

Although military authorities had yet to confirm the attack, some soldiers, said to have been injured, were reportedly taken to Zurmi General Hospital. According to local sources, the officer who led the troops into the forest was captured by the bandits.

Naf spokesman Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said: “The Air Task Force of Operation Diran Mikiya has neutralised a bandits’ hideout at a compound west in Tsamari in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state. The attack was conducted at dawn on December 28, following intelligence reports indicating that the compound was being used by the bandits as a camp from where they launch attacks against innocent civilians.

“Accordingly, the air task force detailed an ISR aircraft, which confirmed the presence of bandits, armed with high-calibre weapons at the location. Consequently, an Alpha Jet aircraft was dispatched to strike the compound, recording direct hits on the target area and resulting in significant damage to the structures and neutralisation of some bandits.

“The ATF, working in concert with surface forces and other security agencies, will continue to conduct reconnaissance and air interdiction missions with a view to restoring normalcy to the affected states in the northwest.”

Col Tukur Gusau, a spokesman for the defence minister, said there were ongoing measures and strategies to address the Zamfara attacks. He added:  “The chief of air staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, left that place about two days ago after he went there to intensify the efforts and strategies put in place, particularly as it concerned the air component.

A lot has been achieved but the problem in Birnin Magaji has been since 2011. The fact that the honourable minister is from there is not the reason why there is crisis there.”