Bandit kingpin who featured in BBC documentary killed while trying to disarm soldier

Nigerian troops from Operation FANSAN YANMA have killed infamous bandit leader Kachallah Hassan Nabamamu, also known as Hassan Dantawaye, after he attempted to overpower a soldier during transport to Gusau, Zamfara State.

Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama confirmed that Nabamamu, who had terrorized Tsafe and Mada local government areas for years, was captured during an intense firefight in Mada, Tsafe local government on February 27.

While being moved from Tsafe to Gusau in the early hours of February 28, Nabamamu made an attempt to disarm one of the soldiers escorting him, prompting the troops to take immediate action, resulting in his death.

PlatinumPost reports that Nabamamu had previously reportedly appeared in a BBC documentary titled The Bandit Warlords of Zamfara, which explored the region’s banditry crisis.

In a separate operation, troops also eliminated two other senior bandit commanders, Na-Allah and Dogo Basullube, who sustained fatal injuries during combat.

Reports, however, indicated that a large group of armed bandits has moved from the Danjibga, Keta, and Kwaren Ganuwa forests towards Tsafe, allegedly plotting a retaliatory strike following Nabamamu’s death.

A military official, speaking anonymously, emphasized the army’s readiness to defend the area:
“We have received credible intelligence that one of the bandit commanders, Bakin Malam, is mobilizing fighters for a revenge attack. However, we are ready for them. Tsafe will be their graveyard. We are closing in from all directions, and they won’t see us coming.”

In response to the looming threat, the military has reinforced Tsafe and nearby areas, deploying more troops and air support to deter any potential attacks.

Nabamamu was considered one of Zamfara’s most ruthless bandit leaders, notorious for orchestrating mass kidnappings, extortion, and deadly raids on both civilians and security personnel. He commanded over 100 heavily armed fighters and had long-standing connections with other high-profile warlords.

His group was linked to numerous violent attacks on villages along the Gusau-Tsafe highway and was known for imposing illegal taxes on communities, forcing residents to pay under threat of violence.

Security experts suggest Nabamamu’s death will significantly disrupt bandit activities in the region, as he played a central role in coordinating strikes across multiple locations.