Gladness Gideon
Troops of the Nigerian Army’s Mobile Strike Team, operating under Operation Fasan Yamma, have recorded a major breakthrough in the ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in Zamfara State, eliminating a notorious terror kingpin, Auta, and at least 25 of his fighters in multiple operations.
The offensive, carried out on June 10, 2025, around Ƙunchin Kalgo town in Tsafe Local Government Area, led to the death of Auta and his close associates, Abdul Jamilu and Salisu, according to a statement released Thursday by Major General Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations.
Kangye described the operation as a “critical disruption of terrorist networks”, stating that Auta and his gang had long terrorised local communities with coordinated attacks, abductions, and killings.
“Among those killed was a notorious terrorist known as Auta, alongside his associates Abdul Jamilu and Salisu. These terrorists were linked to multiple acts of violence and terrorism within the general area,” Kangye noted.
He further disclosed that preliminary intelligence suggests the operation also resulted in the elimination of two other terrorist leaders, including one identified as Babayé, signaling a significant blow to organized criminal activity in the region.
In a separate but related operation, troops reportedly neutralised Sale Ado Madele, alias Sarki, the eldest son of the infamous bandit warlord Ado Alieru. Kangye said Sarki’s death is expected to undermine the operational capacity of the Alieru-led faction, which has been implicated in a series of high-profile abductions and killings across Zamfara and neighbouring states.
READ ALSO: PFS Troops Kill 10 Bandits, Seize Weapons in Zamfara Raid
Additionally, troops intercepted and killed ten armed terrorists near a filling station in Danjibga, following intelligence reports linking them to a planned assault by another notorious commander, Dogo Sule.
“The terrorists were believed to be part of a syndicate brought together by Dogo Sule for a planned attack,” Kangye added.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Armed Forces to protecting civilians and restoring peace across the North-West.
“These operations underscore our resolve to dismantle terrorist networks and bring perpetrators of violence to justice,” Kangye concluded.
The recent string of successful offensives marks a renewed momentum in the military’s push to degrade terror cells and restore law and order in Zamfara State—one of the regions hardest hit by banditry and insurgency in recent years.