Troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, under Operation ACCORD III, have killed Babangida Kachalla, a notorious bandit kingpin, in a major operation against criminal gangs terrorising Kogi State.

Hassan Abdullahi, Brigade’s spokesman,  who confirmed the development in a statement on Saturday, said the operation was carried out in conjunction with Other Hybrid Forces (OHF).

According to the statement, troops, acting on credible intelligence about the movement of armed bandits within the Ofere Forest and Ayetoro Gbede general area, laid an ambush at a suspected crossing point on September 11, 2025.

“Although no contact was initially made, the soldiers ran into an ambush staged by the criminals while withdrawing to base.

“A firefight ensued, during which the troops repelled the attack and neutralised one of the gunmen with what Army described as “superior firepower.”

“After securing the area, the soldiers recovered a cache of items, including a fully loaded magazine, 31 mobile phones, a blood pressure machine, packs of Tramadol tablets, fetish charms, and ₦16,000 cash.

“Bloodstains at the scene indicated that several other bandits escaped with gunshot wounds”, the statement noted.

It also noted that subsequent intelligence confirmed that among those who fled with injuries was Babangida Kachalla, a notorious bandit and second-in-command to Kachala Shuaibu, the leader of a gang operating within Masalaci Boka and Ofere Forest in Kogi State, adding that he was later confirmed dead.

The Army also noted that the 12 Brigade continues to sustain pressure on bandits with constant patrols and ambushes across its area of responsibility. He added that the morale of troops remains high as they intensify operations to restore peace in the state.

The Nigerian Army reassures  of its determination to restore lasting peace and security, while encouraging citizens to provide timely and credible information to aid ongoing operations.