By Suleiman Anyalewechi
No fewer than 50 banditry elements operating in Zamfara and its environs have been reportedly killed in a combined military onslaught on major bandits’ camps between Wednesday April 10 and early hours of Thursdays April 11 by the operatives of the Operation Handarin Daji, OPHD
The Source gathered that the well-coordinated attacks on identified bandit enclaves in Munhaje, Bayan Ruwa and Bayan Dustin GidanKano areas of Zamfara, which began last weekend, continued unabated during the Sallah festivities.
Sustained airstrikes by the Nigerian Airforce, NAF, Components of the OPHD are believed to have severely disrupted the camps of the bandits who are now said to be desperately looking for ways of escaping .
But their bid to escape the airstrikes are believed to have, so far, been nipped in the bud with many of them being neutralized by the operatives of the land components of the OPHD, who are said to be laying in ambush along all escape routes .
Informed sources revealed on Thursday that most of the causalities were recorded due to the ambushing of the fleeing bandits, with many holed up in their encircled strongholds
The intensity, devastating effects and the sustained nature of the joint military operations are said to have apart from throwing the bandits camps into disarray, also struck immense fear and apprehension among both the banditry leaders and their followers who are now more preoccupied with how to relocate to safe havens.
The fate of the now embattled banditry elements ,are also believed to be compounded by spates of infighting and reprisal attacks among various various banditry groups and their leaders .
The Magazine gathered that the banditry confraternity, apart from the already known deaths of leaders such as Sani Dangote ,Lamo Saude, kachalla Chaki have suffered more set backs since last weekend ,with some trusted footsoldiers losing their lives to the NAF airstrikes.
Although, for now, no official comments are being volunteered by the Zamfara State authorities on the ongoing military onslaught, a source close to the Government revealed that the unfolding developments may not be divorced from the recent visit and representation made to president Bola Tinubu by the Zamfara state Governor Alhaji Dauda Lawal on the security challenges in the state .
The Source reports that Governor Lawal had, about three weeks ago on a visit to the Presidential Villa, appealed for the drafting of more security personnel and equipment in the war against banditry in the state.
The Governor had also insisted that combating kidnappings and banditry in Zamfara holds the key to the successful arrest of the general air of insecurities pervading most parts of the Northern region.
Governor lawal had warned that attempting to tackle security challenges in the region will be a mirage ,unless the situation in Zamfara is resolved .
The resoluteness shown by security agencies to halt the activities of the criminal elements this time ,appear also to be resonating with the populace long disenchanted by the needles blood letting,and audacious criminal activities being perpetrated by the bandits amidst the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities at all levels .
Not a few of them are optimistic that the ongoing military action on the bandits will usher in the long awaited respite.
Na lie, there was a video of bandits celebrating Salah in Zamfara