Notorious bandit kingpin released from Niger Republic prison, returns to Nigeria

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Kachallah Bammi Yarma, a prominent bandit kingpin arrested in the Niger Republic in 2015, has been released after finishing his term.

Bammi Yarma has returned to Katsina, a state in northeastern Nigeria, nine years later.

This was revealed on Tuesday in a post on X by Zagazola Makama, a Lake Chad Basin counterterrorism and insurgency specialist.

Makama said that Bammi Yarma, regarded as one of the region’s deadliest bandits, was apprehended in 2015 during the reign of former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari.

According to the security expert, the bandit’s capture was a significant step forward in the fight against banditry because he was discovered transporting weaponry with nine camels in Danmusa, Katsina State.

“At the time, authorities seized 1,000 livestock belonging to his network and disrupted a critical supply chain for bandit operations in the region. He was later convicted and imprisoned by the authorities in Niger Republic,” Makama said.

Makama further said that intelligence sources informed him that Bammi Yarma had resurfaced in northwest Nigeria, where he had previously led violent attacks, mass kidnappings, and cattle rustling operations.

He stated that the reappearance of the infamous bandit has sparked alarm, given his influence among bandit networks in Katsina, Zamfara, and Sokoto states.

“Intelligence sources indicate that top bandit leaders have been paying homage to him, some reportedly gifting him multiple firearms, including five to ten rifles each.

“His re-emergence could significantly escalate violent activities in the Northwest, an area already plagued by insecurity.

“His activities included mass kidnappings, cattle rustling, and widespread attacks on villages across Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara states,” Makama stated.

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