News
Death of Zamfara bandit commander Alti sparks rivalry among armed groups in North-West
Death of Zamfara bandit commander Alti sparks rivalry among armed groups in North-West
By: Zagazola Makama
The reported death of a notorious forest bandit commander known as Alti has triggered fresh tensions among armed groups operating across Zamfara and Katsina States, following volatile internal rivalries shaping banditry in Nigeria’s North-West.
Security sources and local informants said Alti, who operated mainly in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, was killed recently in Katsina State during what is believed to have been a coordinated ambush by rival fighters and later ambushed by troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA.
Alti had emerged as a prominent bandit leader following the death of another notorious commander known as Dan Isihu, who was killed about a year ago during the Islamic fasting period.
Following Dan Isihu’s death, Alti reportedly assumed leadership of the faction and vowed to expand the group’s violent operations across several rural communities.
He was also said to be related to the infamous bandit kingpin Ado Aleiro, one of the most prominent figures in the Zamfara bandit networks.
Sources described Alti as one of the most feared commanders in Tsafe LGA, responsible for repeated attacks on villages including Dan Jibga, Kunchin Kalgo, and Hayin Kanggana, among others. Beyond conventional bandit attacks, Alti was also linked to the increasing use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by criminal groups in the region.
Local sources alleged that he recently travelled to Libya, where he reportedly acquired explosive devices which he later deployed along the Zaria–Gusau highway. One such device was said to have detonated against a truck transporting cement, creating panic among motorists and enabling the bandit group to abduct several travellers during the chaos.
The adoption of such tactics marks a dangerous shift in the operational methods of bandit groups in the North-West, bringing them closer to insurgent-style warfare.
According to intelligence sources, Alti’s death occurred after he and members of his group were lured into an ambush by a rival faction believed to be linked to another notorious bandit commander known as Isiya Kwashen Garwa.
The clash reportedly resulted in multiple casualties among Alti’s fighters. Again, on the same day, troops ambushed and neutralized more fighters after engaging with the Alti group.
The development has intensified tensions among armed groups in the forests straddling Zamfara and Katsina, with reports suggesting that Alti’s relative, Ado Aleiro, has already launched reprisals.
Sources said Aleiro’s fighters allegedly killed the father of Kwashen Garwa in what appeared to be a retaliatory attack. The tit-for-tat violence signals a growing internal conflict among bandit groups competing for territory, influence, and access to criminal networks.
Despite Alti’s death, several fighters previously under his command are believed to remain active in the forests around Tsafe. Among them is a commander identified as Umar Kachalla, who sources say has continued to operate with remnants of the group.
Another bandit figure known as Babalo, who had long been associated with criminal activities in the region, was also reportedly killed recently after sustaining injuries during a confrontation with security forces. According to local sources, Babalo had been receiving treatment for a gunshot wound in Marde area after being injured during an earlier clash.
However, troops reportedly tracked him to the location and killed him along with four associates.
Residents of several communities in Tsafe LGA say the deaths of key bandit leaders have brought a measure of relief after years of violent attacks, kidnappings, and extortion.
While security agencies continue operations to dismantle the criminal networks, locals say the elimination of influential commanders has significantly disrupted bandit activities in parts of the area. However, the fragmented structure of bandit groups means new leaders could quickly emerge to fill the vacuum.
Nonetheless, the deaths of figures like Alti represent a critical opportunity for security forces to intensify pressure on remaining armed groups and consolidate gains in the fight against banditry in the North-West.
Death of Zamfara bandit commander Alti sparks rivalry among armed groups in North-West
News
Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval
Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval
By Aisha Gambo
The Centre for Girls’ Education (CGE) has commended the Kaduna State Executive Council for approving the Kaduna State Life Skills Policy and the State Policy on Gender in Education (SPGE 2026–2030).
The Executive Director of the organisation, Habiba Mohammed, made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna.
She said the approval marked a transition from donor-supported, time-bound interventions to a sustainable, government-led framework for delivering life skills education and promoting gender equity in schools.
According to her, the Life Skills Policy will equip young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values required to succeed in education, employment and life, while the Gender in Education Policy providzbves a framework to promote equity, inclusion, participation, retention, completion and improved learning outcomes.
“The approval moves life skills and gender equity from the margins of the classroom into the core of Kaduna State’s education system,” she said.
Mohammed said CGE contributed to the development and validation of the policies through its system-strengthening project supported by Co-Impact, OASIS Initiative and the Malala Fund, in collaboration with the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and the Kaduna State Ministry of Education.
She said the policies built on more than 18 years of the organisation’s Safe Space model, which independent evaluations showed had helped reduce child marriage, increase school enrolment and delay early marriage.
According to her, the AGILE programme in Kaduna has reached more than 127,319 girls and 6,250 boys between the ages of 14 and 18, while over 1,400 female and male teachers have been trained as mentors.
She added that institutionalising the model through public policy would ensure that life skills education became a permanent component of the state’s education system.
Mohammed said the policies would address barriers to school access, retention and completion, particularly for girls and other vulnerable learners.
She added that they would also institutionalise life skills as a co-curricular programme, strengthen evidence-based decision-making across the state’s 23 local government areas and guarantee continuity beyond donor-funded programmes.
The executive director commended Gov. Uba Sani for providing the leadership that made the policy approval possible.
She also appreciated the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, the Kaduna State Ministry of Education, the AGILE State Project Implementation Unit, the World Bank and other stakeholders for their contributions to the process.
Mohammed reaffirmed CGE’s commitment to supporting the Kaduna State Government with technical assistance during the implementation phase, including teacher training, gender-responsive education sector budgeting and monitoring.
She said the ultimate goal was to ensure that every girl and boy in Kaduna State had the opportunity to learn, develop and thrive.
Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval
News
Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base
Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base
By: Zagazola Makama
Six fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were reportedly killed and seven others seriously wounded during a failed attack on a Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Logomani in Borno State, credible intelligence sources have disclosed.
The sources told Zagazola Makama that the terrorists launched the attack on the military position in the early hours of July 7 but suffered significant casualties after troops mounted a fierce resistance.
According to the intelligence assessment, the attackers had assembled at Garal before advancing on the military base.
Following the failed assault, surviving insurgents were reportedly seen regrouping at Chukun Gudu, where they buried six of their fighters killed during the encounter.
Among those reportedly buried was a senior fighter identified as Munzir, also known as Ba Alayi, who was said to be an indigene of Wulgo.
The development comes as troops of Operation HADIN KAI continue sustained clearance operations aimed at dismantling terrorist enclaves and disrupting insurgents’ logistics and mobility across the Lake Chad region.
Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base
Health
Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle
Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle
By: Zagazola Makama
A cholera outbreak has reportedly claimed the lives of nine fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Timbuktu Triangle, a known terrorist stronghold in Borno State, intelligence sources have disclosed.
The sources told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the outbreak had spread through the group’s enclaves, highlighting deteriorating sanitary conditions and limited access to medical care within the insurgents’ camps.
According to the intelligence, two additional ISWAP fighters infected with the disease were allegedly executed by fellow terrorists after attempts to manage their condition at Kimba village proved unsuccessful.
The sources said the development pointed to the worsening health conditions within the terrorist hideouts, where sustained military pressure has disrupted logistics, including access to medicines and treatment facilities.
The sources added that commanders had also been urged to intensify efforts to intercept medical supplies and pharmaceuticals intended for terrorist camps in order to further degrade ISWAP’s treatment capability and operational resilience.
The reported outbreak comes amid sustained offensives by troops of Operation HADIN KAI, who continue to target terrorist enclaves and logistics networks across the Lake Chad region in a bid to degrade the insurgents’ fighting capacity.
Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle
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