NAF airstrikes kill bandits, troops recover rustled cattle

Troops of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) under Operation FANSAN YANMA have successfully neutralised scores of bandits in Tsafe Local Government Area (LGA) of Zamfara State, recovering a large number of rustled cattle.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency media expert, that the successful operation resulted from coordinated intelligence, which revealed that a large group of bandits—suspected relatives of notorious bandit leader Ado Aleiro, along with other unidentified individuals—left Zamfara State/Tsafe LGA to rustle cattle from nearby communities.

The sources stated that the bandits succeeded in stealing several livestock and were attempting to escape when they encountered resistance from local security forces.

The troops tracked the rustlers and waited until they reached a mountainous area before surrounding them. Upon confirming their location, they alerted the Nigerian Air Force, which swiftly deployed air assets to engage the fleeing bandits.

Eyewitnesses confirmed that several bandits were eliminated in the operation, though the exact number is yet to be determined. A second source estimated that at least 23 bandits were killed, while several others were injured.

The troops also recovered a large number of rustled cattle.

This operation is part of ongoing military efforts to dismantle terrorist strongholds and curb cattle rustling, a key source of funding for bandit groups operating in Zamfara and neighboring states.