Residents of Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have commended the Nigerian military and the state government following a sustained security offensive that reportedly led to the neutralisation of over 70 bandits and the destruction of several criminal hideouts in the area.
Community leaders said the operation, carried out in recent days, targeted long-established bandit enclaves hidden within forested areas of Kauru, which had served as launch pads for attacks, kidnappings, and killings across the local government.
Among the notorious camps dislodged were Rafin Gora Camp, Agwala Camp, Ruwan Sanyi, and Randa, which residents described as major strongholds used by armed groups to terrorise surrounding communities for years.
The operation was led by the Commandant of the 2 National Mission Force Brigade, Samaru Kataf, Navy Captain I.T. Akaazua, under whose leadership troops carried out coordinated ground assaults on identified bandit locations.
During the offensive, several abducted victims were rescued alive. Those freed were identified as Barnabas Zakaria and Hosea Barnabas, both from Doka in Kajuru Local Government Area, as well as Haruna Ummar, Timothy Musa, Hasat Ummar, and Balkisu Ummar, all from Kauru Local Government Area.
Speaking in separate interviews, community leaders, including Alhaji Tukur Kadage, Chairman of the Joint Security Committee of Dokan Karji and Kwassam communities; Mr Barnabas Musa of Chawai Chiefdom; and Hon. Aminu Khalid, Youth Leader of Dokan Karji community, praised the military for what they described as a decisive intervention that has significantly weakened bandit networks in the area.
Musa specifically commended the ongoing military onslaught in Kauru and Kumana Chiefdoms, while appealing for the operation to be sustained and extended to parts of Chawai Chiefdom, particularly the Rahman Chawai and Badurum axis, where communities, he said, continue to face serious security threats.
The leaders recalled that Kauru Local Government Area, located in Southern Kaduna, has endured persistent insecurity since 2010, beginning with an attack on the Kizachi community in Chawai Chiefdom in which eight persons were killed.
They said the violence initially remained limited to Chawai Chiefdom but later spread to Kumana Chiefdom and parts of the Kauru Emirate by 2015, resulting in widespread killings, kidnappings, and displacement.
According to them, armed groups over the years established camps within dense forests surrounding Kauru, using the difficult terrain to launch repeated raids, abduct residents for ransom, and rustle livestock, forcing many families to abandon their homes and farmlands.
They added that the prolonged violence left thousands displaced and in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter, and medical care.
The community leaders linked the recent security gains to the peace and security strategy of Governor Uba Sani, which they said combines sustained military operations with intelligence-driven policing, community engagement, and reconciliation.
According to them, the governor’s approach, which promotes collaboration among security agencies, traditional institutions, and local communities, has improved intelligence gathering and reduced the operating space of criminal elements across the state.
They also noted that residents have begun to feel the positive impact of the permanent military barracks established in the area by a former Chief of Defence Staff, saying the presence of the brigade has enhanced rapid response and sustained pressure on bandit groups.
“The coordination we are seeing now is encouraging. The government’s approach has made communities more willing to share intelligence with security agencies,” one of the leaders said.
The communities appealed to the Federal and Kaduna State governments to sustain the military pressure while scaling up humanitarian support to enable displaced residents to return home and resume farming and other economic activities.
“We have pledged, as communities, to continue cooperating with security agencies by exposing criminal hideouts and providing timely intelligence to ensure lasting peace and stability in the area,” the leaders said.
