A notorious bandit kingpin, popularly called Boderi, who orchestrated kidnappings of Yauri school girls, Greenfield University and Nigerian Defence Academy attacks, has been killed.
Boderi was slain along with another kingpin, Bodejo, in an ambush by troops from the 1st Division Nigerian Army.
Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Army’s spokesperson, confirmed this in a statement on Thursday.
Nwachukwu stated that the duo was neutralised with their foot soldiers during troop operations along the Bada-Riyawa axis of the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road.
He stated that military have launched various operations in Birni-Gwari, Igabi, and Giwa Local Governments to drive militants out of these areas and provide relief to residents.
According to an Army spokesperson, while on a fighting patrol along the Maganda-Dausayi-Mugaba axis in the Igabi local government region, troops were targeted by insurgents who used rustled herds of cattle as shields while engaging the military with direct fire.
He said: “The insurgents whose number could not be ascertained fired several shots at the troops from the cover of the herds of livestock prompting immediate response from troops.
“In the ensuing firefight that lasted for about an hour, troops neutralised two of the insurgents and recovered 1 AK 47 rifle,1 AK 47 Magazine, three rounds of 7.62mm Special, 1 Techno phone, three Hilux and motorcycle keys, wraps of substance suspected to be marijuana, tramadol tablets and the sum of 13,200 Naira only.
Unfortunately, during the encounter, several of the rustled livestock employed as shields by the militants were caught in the crossfire. Troops are still on the trail of the fleeing militants and are determined to clear the area of responsibility of armed violence.”
According to Nwachukwu, on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, forces from the Nigerian Army’s 1 Division successfully ambushed rampaging rebels along the Bada-Riyawa axis on the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road.
“In the encounter, troops neutralised 6 insurgents and recovered 2 AK 47 rifles, 5 AK 47 rifle magazines, 300 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and 19 motorcycles which were destroyed.”
“Intelligence sources are reporting that the notorious bandit Kingpin Boderi who orchestrated many high profile kidnappings including the Yauri school girls, Greenfield University and Nigerian Defence Academy attacks was killed alongside another kingpin, Bodejo in the ambush. Efforts are on to authenticate this using other means.”
