Troops recover AK-47 rifles from bandits in Kaduna

Troops of Operation Thunder Strike (OPTS) have recovered four AK-47 rifles from bandits in Kaduna.

Samuel Aruwan, commissioner for internal security and home affairs, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

The rifles were said to be part of the remaining stash of weapons belonging to the late Nasiru Kachalla, a suspected bandit leader.

Kachalla was reportedly killed in December 2020, following a clash between his group and a rival gang in Kaduna state.

The clash was said to have been triggered over disagreement among the bandits concerning a large herd of rustled cattle.

Kachalla was said to have masterminded  the kidnapping of students of Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kaduna, as well as the abduction of one Bola Ataga and her two children in January 2020.

The incident led to the death of Michael Nnadi, one of the seminarians, as well as Bola Ataga, while the two children were reportedly released.

According to Aruwan, the four AK-47 rifles were recovered with the help of local intelligence.

“Kachalla and his gang were involved in several crimes, including high-profile kidnappings, killings and banditry on the Kaduna-Abuja road and also in the Chikun/Kajuru general areas,” the statement reads.

“Governor Nasir El-Rufai noted the report with thanks, and commended the security agencies for recovering the weapons. He urged them to pursue all available leads towards exposing more arms caches used by bandits.”

The commissioner added that efforts to recover more weapons are ongoing.