Bandit kingpin Laggu killed in Kaduna clash as rival gangs fight in Kachia, leaving several dead and prompting military monitoring
Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA have confirmed that four bandit kingpins, including a notorious figure identified as Laggu, were killed during a violent confrontation between rival criminal groups around Rijana Dam in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Also read: Hisbah confirms progress as Kano mass wedding screening hits 720 couples
The military said the incident, which began on June 8, 2026, led to a deadly exchange between the armed gangs, leaving several members injured in what security sources described as a brutal internal conflict.
According to an operational report made available in Abuja, bandit kingpin Laggu during the clash was among those confirmed dead after rival groups engaged each other in a sustained fight.
The report stated that intelligence sources monitored the confrontation as it escalated between the criminal factions operating in the area.
“In a related development, intelligence sources reported a violent clash between rival bandit groups around Rijana Dam in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State on June 8,” the report said.
It added that four bandit kingpins, including Laggu, were killed, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries during the encounter.
Security officials disclosed that the bodies of the deceased were removed from the scene by members of the criminal groups and later buried after funeral prayers at a mosque in Rijana before troops could recover them.
The report further noted that troops had earlier neutralised about seven bandits during a separate operation on June 6, 2026, as part of ongoing security operations in the region.
It stated that efforts to recover the bodies of those neutralised were unsuccessful as the criminals evacuated them before the arrival of security forces.
The army also confirmed the recovery of four motorcycles stolen from farmers in Kaduna State following intelligence-led operations by troops of 4 Demonstration Battalion at Forward Operating Base Kadage in Giwa Local Government Area.
The motorcycles were reportedly taken during an earlier attack on farmers in Angwan Garke village on June 6, 2026, before being traced and recovered.
Military authorities said the recovered items were handed over to the police at Galadimawa for onward return to the rightful owners.
Also read: SDP candidate Adebayo blames Tinubu for Nigeria’s economic struggles
The report added that troops conducting Operation Savannah Shield and other routine security operations recorded no significant incidents within the period under review, while monitoring continues amid fears of possible reprisals between rival criminal groups.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
