Nigerian troops have successfully neutralized a notorious bandit leader, Yellow Aboki, in Zamfara State, dealing another significant blow to criminal networks in the region.
According to counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, who focuses on security in the Lake Chad region, Yellow Aboki was eliminated during a recent operation by troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA in Tsafe Local Government Area.
Security sources revealed that the slain bandit leader was a close ally of the late terror kingpin Hassan Bamamu, who was taken down by the military just last week. Bamamu, also known as Hassan Dantawaye, was one of the most feared bandit commanders in the region.
Reports indicate that following Bamamu’s death, Yellow Aboki had been consolidating control over criminal activities in Zamfara, operating in areas such as Bamamu, Dan Mali, Agamalafiya, and Makera. He was responsible for coordinating violent attacks and kidnappings across the state.
Makama noted that the military has intensified its crackdown on bandit hideouts across Zamfara, Sokoto, and other troubled areas in the North West, significantly weakening the operational capacity of these criminal groups.
“The sustained pressure has diminished the capacity of the bandits to confront the troops. Instead, they have resorted to carrying out isolated attacks on vulnerable communities with minimal security presence,” Makama stated.
The elimination of Yellow Aboki marks another victory for Nigerian security forces in their relentless campaign against banditry in the region.
