The Zamfara State Government says Monday’s coordinated security operation against a notorious bandit was a major breakthrough in the ongoing battle against armed gangs terrorizing the region.

This was revealed by Alhaji Ahmad Manga, Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Dauda Lawal, who described the confrontation as a strategic step forward, according to Hausa service of the BBC on Thursday.

“Alhamdulillah, he was finally tracked down right in his hideout — a place security agents had never reached before. He realized he was no longer untouchable,” Manga said.

According to him, security forces launched a heavy assault, inflicting significant losses on the gang.

“Several of his men were neutralized. Even he couldn’t count how many fighters he lost that day,” Manga added.

“Most of the corpses recovered after the operation were his fighters.”

One of the major casualties, Bashari Maniya — a once-feared bandit who reportedly repented and started assisting security agents — died after the vehicle he was in plunged into a deep ditch during the raid.

Manga clarified that contrary to speculations, Maniya wasn’t killed by enemy fire.

“It was a new vehicle, unfamiliar to the terrain. While speeding through the forest, they drove straight into a ditch that looked like a well. The vehicle flipped over and couldn’t be controlled. It wasn’t enemy gunfire that took him down,” he explained.

Maniya and the others in the vehicle were found unconscious when backup arrived.

The vehicle had bulletproof protection, so bullets couldn’t penetrate it, but the crash had already done the damage.

Ahmad Manga reaffirmed Governor Lawal’s commitment to pursuing bandit kingpin Bello Turji until he is brought to justice.

“By God, we won’t stop. The people of Zamfara, especially those from Shinkafi, know what Turji did for 14 years — the pain he caused. But this time, even he knows something has changed. This was the closest anyone has ever gotten to him — right inside his house,” Manga said.

He added that the state government plans to bring in additional military personnel to reinforce ongoing operations against Turji’s gang.

Reports also confirmed that during the confrontation on Monday, Turji went into hiding and later fled the scene to avoid being captured.