Kogi Bandit Kingpin Kachalla Kabiru Neutralized in Coordinated Military Operation

Security forces in Nigeria have neutralized Kachalla Kabiru, a prominent bandit kingpin, along with several of his lieutenants during a coordinated operation in Kogi State. The operation was carried out by the Office of the National Security Adviser, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) and the 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, with support from the Nigerian Air Force.

Sources indicate that the operation, which included precision airstrikes, followed weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance confirming Kabiru’s presence at a designated hideout. The strike took place on February 13, 2026.

“Kachalla Kabiru and his top lieutenants were neutralized in a coordinated operation involving both air and ground assets,” an intelligence official confirmed.

Kabiru, originally from Nigeria’s North West, established a significant criminal network in Kogi over the past decade. Security reports describe him as a central figure in orchestrating kidnappings, armed attacks, and the movement of bandits across multiple states, including Kogi, Kwara, Benue, Enugu, Edo, Ekiti, and Ondo. He facilitated logistics, manpower, and coordination among criminal groups, contributing to the expansion of organized banditry in the region.

The successful operation is considered a major disruption to organized bandit networks in North Central Nigeria, weakening the coordination and operational capacity of these groups, according to intelligence sources.