Escalating Air, Ground Operations Push Bandits into Retreat, Offer Relief to Northwest Communities

By: Zagazola Makama

Over the past week, residents in Nigeria’s northwest have reported an unprecedented surge in air bombardments as the Nigerian military intensifies its campaign against banditry in Zamfara, Katsina, and Kebbi states.

Zagazola Makama understands that the Nigerian military airstrikes have intensified across Zamfara, Katsina, and Kebbi states, where residents say they are witnessing a powerful shift in the long-running fight to secure their communities.

The air campaign, part of Operation Fansa Yamma, has seen coordinated bombardments targeting known bandit strongholds and routes, with reports indicating sustained strikes around key locations such as Babare Hills in Katsina and Gando Forest in Zamfara.

The aggressive campaign was part of the joint efforts to soften ground for the surface forces ahead of the Operation Desert Sanity 3.

In Zamfara, a state that has borne the brunt of bandit attacks, villagers recount a steady decline in recent incursions following intense air raids over the past week. “For years, we were under constant threat.

Bandits would sweep through our villages, raiding, looting, and taking people almost on Daily basis,” said Shehu Alhassan, a farmer from Tsafe.

“But since these airstrikes began, it’s been quiet. We no longer see their motorcycles, and it feels like the military is finally turning things around.” This newfound peace comes after several years of reports highlighting the dire situation in Zamfara, where rural communities have been gripped by kidnappings, extortion, and violence as bandits established bases in nearby forests.

In Katsina State, similar reports detail how ongoing airstrikes have unsettled bandit groups to the extent that several kidnapped victims recently managed to escape their captors.

The Nigerian Air Force’s early morning strikes in the Babare Hills area forced bandits to abandon camps, inadvertently giving some captives the opportunity to break free. Musa Umar, a former hostage, described the disarray he witnessed: “They panicked when the bombing started, and suddenly the guards were gone. We took that chance to break our chains and flee.” This pattern of disrupted bandit operations has been particularly encouraging for communities that have seen waves of abductions, including schools and families affected by kidnappings for ransom.

Kebbi State, though less affected in the past, has also seen a dramatic drop in bandit presence in local markets and villages following an intense night of airstrikes. For days now, villagers report an absence of armed men previously known to frequent markets to buy supplies. Ibrahim Musa, a local trader, shared his observations:

“They used to come almost every week to stock up on food and fuel, but it’s been days since any of them appeared. The constant bombing has them scared, I think, and they’re keeping away.” he said.

The recent airstrikes have put bandit groups on edge, interrupting their movements and, for the first time, making it difficult for them to access supplies. In some cases, entire hideouts have been wiped out, weakening the groups’ organizational structure and forcing them to reconsider their stronghold areas.

Escalating Air, Ground Operations Push Bandits into Retreat, Offer Relief to Northwest Communities