By BANNERNEWS Reporter
The Nigerian Army has dealt a major blow to banditry in the North-West, neutralising scores of terrorists during a fierce assault on the stronghold of notorious bandit kingpin, Gwaska Dankarami, even as a community in Nasarawa State threatened legal action over what it described as a false military report linking it to illegal arms production.
Troops of the 8 Division, operating under Sector 2 of Operation Fansan Yamma, stormed the bandits’ camp following credible intelligence that more than 100 armed men had converged there to plan coordinated attacks on local communities and military supply routes.
A statement by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division Nigerian Army/Sector 2 Operation Fansan Yamma, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, said the operation, executed on January 31, 2026, involved sustained surveillance and close coordination between ground troops and the Nigerian Air Force.
According to him, the troops intercepted the bandits and engaged them in a fierce gun batt
le after the criminals attempted to flank and encircle the advancing forces. The bandits were, however, overwhelmed by superior firepower, leading to the neutralisation of many, while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
Osoba said the bandits’ camp was set ablaze before the troops withdrew tactically, adding that the Air Force component is currently carrying out interdiction missions to track down fleeing remnants, while ground forces maintain dominance of the area.
He disclosed that the operation was not without cost, as some soldiers paid the supreme price, while a combat enabler vehicle was hit by an enemy rocket-propelled grenade and destroyed by fire. The Army, he said, honours the fallen heroes and remains resolute in dismantling bandit networks and their supply chains.
Meanwhile, in Nasarawa State, the Agwatashi (Olosoho) community has rejected claims by the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), that an illegal arms manufacturing factory was uncovered in the area, describing the allegation as misleading and damaging.
In a press statement signed by the community’s youth leader, Aliyu Adokwe, the community said Agwatashi is located in Obi Local Government Area, not Doma Local Government Area, where Agbashi—the actual location of the alleged arms factory—is situated.
The community demanded an immediate retraction and public clarification by OPWS headquarters, warning that failure to do so would compel them to seek legal redress against the military authorities.
Insisting that Agwatashi (Olosoho) is a peace-loving community with no history of criminality or illegal arms activities, the residents said the report has unfairly tarnished their image and must be corrected without delay.
