By Dayo Dare
Nigeria has long battled a wave of terror fueled by violent gangs, ruthless kidnappers, and the deadly Boko Haram insurgency, linked to ISIS. These criminals have turned rural communities into warzones, maiming, killing, and destroying everything in their path.
But the tide is shifting. Thanks to improved coordination and intelligence sharing especially through the efforts of the National Security Adviser, reflected in the ongoing efforts by the Nigerian military and security forces across the country, several of the most wanted terrorists and bandit leaders have been hunted down and neutralized in the past two years.
Below are 10 of the most notorious.
1. Isiya Danwasa – Kaduna State
Danwasa led a gang that operated across Igabi, Chikun, and Birnin Gwari, notorious for cattle rustling, kidnappings, and random shootings. His reign ended in 2023 when plainclothes troops tracked his group back into Igabi. Soldiers opened fire during a surprise ambush, killing Danwasa and wounding several of his men.
2. Halilu Sububu – Zamfara/Niger Republic
Sububu, who claimed ties to both Niger Republic and Zamfara State, commanded an estimated 1,000 fighters across four Nigerian states. He was deeply involved in arms trafficking, illegal mining, and deadly ambushes on civilians and military convoys.
In his final days, he called for unity among Fulani bandits. Days later, Nigerian Air Force special forces ambushed his convoy near Mayanchi on the Sokoto highway. Sububu was killed alongside up to 50 fighters. The military recovered heavy weaponry, including PKT machine guns, AK-47s, RPGs, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
3. Dogo Rabe – Zamfara/Katsina
Rabe terrorized rural communities in Zamfara and Katsina, leading violent raids and mass abductions. He died in a Nigerian Air Force airstrike during a joint operation targeting camps between Zurmi and Birnin Magaji. The strike dismantled his network and put a stop to his spree.
4. Kachalla Dan Chaki – Zamfara/Katsina
Dan Chaki was a high-profile target for the Nigerian military. He commanded loyal fighters in Zamfara and Katsina and was listed among the top 10 most wanted bandits. In 2024, he was eliminated during intensified military operations across the region, according to The Nation.
5. Dogo Gudali – Zamfara/Sokoto/Kebbi
Gudali operated across Anka, Gummi, and Bukkuyum LGAs in Zamfara, with reach extending into Sokoto and Kebbi States. While planting an IED meant for troops from Operation Hadarin Daji, the explosive device accidentally detonated, killing him and several gang members on the spot.
6. Dankarami – Zamfara/Katsina (Unconfirmed Death)
Dankarami was among the most feared warlords in northwestern Nigeria, known for leading coordinated attacks involving over 100 fighters. He rejected all amnesty attempts and continued attacking villages and military outposts.
In 2024, the Nigerian Air Force bombarded his hideout in Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State, killing over 100 of his men. He was seriously wounded in the airstrike, with conflicting reports about whether he later died from his injuries. His death remains unconfirmed.
7. Yellow Janbako – Zamfara
Janbako’s gang burned homes, kidnapped for ransom, and slaughtered villagers across Dansadau and Maru forests in Zamfara. In a failed raid, local vigilantes (Yan Sakai) ambushed his group. A fierce gunfight broke out, and Janbako was shot dead. His body was publicly displayed, a symbolic warning to others still in the bush.
8. Rufai Maikaji – Kaduna State
Maikaji rose from errand boy to a deadly kingpin overseeing over 100 armed fighters. His gang carried out mass killings and kidnappings in Giwa, Igabi, and Chikun LGAs.
In a 2021 joint air and ground operation near Malul Forest, the Nigerian Air Force launched a targeted airstrike. As troops moved in, Maikaji tried to flee, but the strike killed him and dozens of his men.
9. Alhaji Karki – Niger State
Karki once laid down his weapons and cooperated with authorities but later returned to violence. He led brutal attacks across communities around Rugu Forest. During a 2024 assault on a military unit, Nigerian troops returned fire and gunned him down in the heat of battle.
10. Ya’u – Bauchi State
Ya’u led a heavily armed group that plagued Ningi LGA, particularly near the Burra crossing. His gang abducted civilians and carried out coordinated raids including one where a village ruler in Kano was kidnapped.
In October 2023, troops from the Army’s 33 Brigade ambushed his team as they returned from an operation. The soldiers opened fire and killed Ya’u on the spot. The Army later confirmed his death in an official statement.
11. Kachalla SaniBlack and his sons
Sani Black and his clan raided parts Gusau, Tsafe (Zamfara state), plus parts of Kaduna, Niger, and Kebbi. His gang of 150 were responsible for mass abductions, sexual violence, highway ambushes.
In September 2024, he was ambushed by a joint force of military and local vigilantes in Magama Mai Rake, Maru LGA. Kachalla SaniBlack and two of his sons were killed and weaponry— including two AK47s and a PKT machine gun— were recovered.
12. Baleri Fakai( “Kacalla Fakai”)
The bandit terrorized areas in Zamfara and Sokoto states and cross-border into Niger Republic. He was involved in large-scale killings, kidnappings, and extortion. He was reportedly arrested by Nigerian troops in May 2024, but sources later confirm he was killed alongside 30 of his fighters during a Nigerian military operation in mid-September 2024.
13. Sani Wala Burki
Burki was reportedly linked with Buzu and was responsible for terrorized parts in the northwest like Zamfara/Katsina/Kaduna.
He was later found and neutralized alongside Halilu Buzu during a Nigerian Army operation in September 2024.
Other bandits that have been caught and neutralized include:
14. Kachalla Ibrahim Gurgun Raji;
15. Kacalla Maijikka; and
16. Me Dada
All these have been notorious for terrorizing different states in the Northwest like Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna etc.
These eliminations mark major victories for Nigeria’s military but the fight isn’t over. Armed groups still lurk in forests and remote areas, ready to strike. The work of eliminating terrorism in Nigeria is ongoing.