The Nigerian military has once again struck a major blow against armed banditry in the North, neutralising more than 100 terrorists during a coordinated air and ground assault on Makakkari Forest, Bukuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State — the home state of the current Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, who has been at the forefront of ongoing efforts to improve the state’s security.
In the early hours of Sunday, the stillness of Makakkari Forest was shattered by the roar of Nigerian Air Force aircraft and the decisive advance of ground troops. By the end of the operation, over 100 bandits lay dead, their motorcycles reduced to twisted metal, and their hideouts obliterated.
According to reports by security analyst Zagazola Makama, intelligence operatives of Operation FANSAN YANMA had for weeks been monitoring unusual movements across the Sunke, Kirsa, and Barukushe axis — long notorious as bandit enclaves. Surveillance revealed that more than 400 armed fighters, led by some of the region’s most feared kingpins, had converged on Makakkari Forest. Their mission was to attack Nasarawan Burkullu, a farming community in Bukuyum LGA, in retaliation for a recent defeat at the hands of security forces and hybrid units.
“They thought they could regroup, rearm, and launch another wave of terror,” a military source said. “Instead, they walked straight into a well-laid trap.”
The operation commenced with precision airstrikes on identified bandit clusters, guided by reconnaissance drones. Explosions ripped through the forest, sending plumes of smoke into the sky as dozens of fighters and their motorcycles—the gang’s primary mode of mobility—were destroyed.
“Several notorious kingpins and scores of their foot soldiers met their waterloo before they could even fire a shot,” the source recounted. Those who attempted to flee were intercepted by ground assault teams in a separate location, ensuring no escape.
Military sources emphasised the remarkable synergy between the air and land components, calling the operation a model of joint-force efficiency.
Operation FANSAN YANMA has vowed to sustain the pressure, striking not only at fighters hidden in the bush but also at the wider networks that fund and supply them.
“Banditry thrives on fear and impunity,” the source concluded. “We are dismantling both — one operation at a time.”