INSIGHT How banditry kingpin, Danwasa met his Waterloo

By Femi Oyelola

When talking about bandits whose names ring a bell when terrorism, banditry and kidnapping are mentioned in the northwest and North-Central, names like Bello Turji, late Kachalla Yellow, and Isiya Danwasa readily comes to mind because of their roles in kidnappings for ransom, cattle rustling and all terrorist activities.

One cannot easily forget Isiya Danwasa, whom security agencies have described as a notorious bandit whose activities and influence sometimes spread to Igabi, Chikun and BirninGwari Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.

Danwasa was responsible for several killings, kidnappings and cattle rustling operations across the state. However, he met his Waterloo on April 11, 2023 when troops of Operation Forest Sanity, (OPFS), ended his reign of terror.

Giving a graphic detail how the end of Danwasa came to be, the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public

Relations, 1 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, said the troops were able to successfully get that done following a tip-off from a human intelligence source.

According to him, an intelligence source revealed that a bandit leader named Isiya Danwasa intended to send his errand boy Yunusa to purchase some arms and ammunition in Kaduna town.

He added that the errand boy was trailed and picked up by plain cloth soldiers and later used to lure two of the bandits’ leaders to a selected ammunition collection point.

“Upon their arrival, troops who had laid an ambush engaged the criminals with superior firepower and neutralized the two bandits’ leaders”, the Division’s spokesman said.

Lt. Col Yahaya further revealed that Items recovered from the bandits, included two AK 47 rifles, six AK 47 magazines, 250 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition, one power bank, two charm vests, a destroyed motorcycle, and the sum of two hundred thousand Naira.

He, however, noted that the General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army and Force Commander Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Punch, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, commended the troops for their professional conduct and perfect execution of the task, inspired the troops to do more just as he appealed to the public to continue to avail the troops and other security agencies with credible and actionable information for a saner Nigeria.

Reacting to the news, Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, Commended the troops for neutralizing the notorious bandit leader, Isiya Danwasa, who was responsible for several killings, kidnappings and cattle rustling operations across the state.

El-Rufa’i who spoke through the Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, praised the troops for the diligent intelligence work and precise execution, which led to the demise of Danwasa and his associates.

The Governor further appealed to members of the general public to continue to volunteer information to the security forces.

Resisents of Kaduna and its environs were, no doubt, elated by the news of the killing of the bandit leader as they hope that it would yield a reduction in the activities of the marauding gunmen who have stolen the peace of the state.