ZAMFARA, Nigeria – Nigerian troops under Combat Team 7 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA have neutralised several notorious bandit leaders and significantly improved security along the strategic Funtua–Tsafe–Gusau highway.
The unit commander, Captain A.U. Usman, disclosed this on Saturday while briefing Defence Correspondents during a visit to the unit's operational base in Tsafe, Zamfara State.
Usman said the military recorded the successes over the past six months through sustained offensive operations and strategic deployment of troops at identified bandit crossing points.
He disclosed that notorious bandit commanders, including Kachalla Dan Agwal and Baban Baby, were killed alongside several of their fighters during intelligence-led operations on January 14.
According to him, troops also neutralised another notorious bandit leader, Yunusa Dogon Ahmad, and several of his associates during clearance operations along the highway on February 15.
The commander said the military established several pickets along the Funtua–Tsafe–Gusau highway, particularly at known routes previously used by bandits to ambush travellers.
He said the deployment had significantly reduced attacks on commuters, bringing an end to frequent kidnappings and armed assaults that previously made the highway unsafe.
Usman added that the improved security situation had restored public confidence, allowing motorists to travel more freely along the route.
Beyond securing the highway, he said the military presence had also created a safer environment for farming activities in communities within the unit's Area of Responsibility.
He disclosed that Combat Team 7 currently operates from about 13 locations, including Lilo, Mada, Wanzamai, Keta, FOB Railway, Gidan Giye and Keware, as well as several blocking positions established to restrict the movement of criminal elements.
According to him, troops conduct daily foot patrols from these locations into surrounding communities and farmlands to enable farmers to carry out their activities without interference.
However, Usman identified improvised explosive devices, IEDs, as one of the major challenges confronting troops, particularly on rural access roads.
He said Explosive Ordnance Disposal, EOD, teams deployed by the theatre headquarters routinely scan routes for IEDs before troop movements, helping to reduce the risks posed by explosives during military operations.
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