Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have killed two senior commanders of a terrorist group led by notorious kingpin Kachalla Muhammadu Filani in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The two commanders, identified as Hamisu, also known as Mamiyo, and Umar Bocho, were killed during an intelligence-led operation around Kogo Village on Monday, August 31, according to the military.
The Media Information Officer of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, said troops of Sector 2 encountered the terrorists at a hideout and engaged them in a fierce gun battle.
He said Mamiyo was a notorious gunrunner and the second-in-command to Muhammadu Filani, while Umar Bocho was also a key member of the network.
Danja said Muhammadu Filani escaped from the encounter with gunshot wounds, adding that troops were continuing to search the area for the fleeing terrorist leader and other members of the group.
The military described the operation as a major blow to the terrorist network, saying the killing of the two commanders would degrade its operational capability and disrupt its criminal activities.
Residents of communities around the area told Daily Trust that the group’s activities had affected Matazu, Musawa, Dutsinma, Kankia and Kusada local government areas, with repeated reports of abductions, killings, livestock rustling and disruption of farming activities.
A resident said the operation had brought relief to communities that had lived in fear, particularly farmers who were often unable to access their farmlands.
However, a community leader urged the military to sustain the pressure to prevent the surviving members of the group from regrouping.
The military urged residents of Matazu and neighbouring communities, as well as medical personnel, to report anyone suspected of seeking treatment for gunshot wounds to security agencies.
It said operations were ongoing to track Filani and clear the area of remaining threats.
