Nigerian troops have arrested a high-profile bandit leader in the north-western state of Katsina, officials say.
Sanusi Maigilas, who has been linked to a wave of criminal activities across the region, was apprehended by forces from the 17 Brigade Command during a targeted operation in Kurfi Local Government Area.
Military sources said Maigilas had been under close surveillance for several months due to his role commanding armed groups operating out of the dense Danmusa forest. The area has long served as a stronghold for heavily armed criminal gangs—locally referred to as bandits—who carry out mass kidnappings for ransom, raid villages, and rustle cattle.
Security forces described the arrest as an intelligence-led operation aimed at severing key operational networks in the North-West. Investigators hope interrogating Maigilas will yield actionable intelligence to track down remaining militia cells and disrupt logistics corridors within the state’s forest reserves.
The Nigerian military has intensified ground and air offensives across Katsina and neighbouring states in recent months to regain control of remote rural areas. While authorities hail the capture as a significant operational success, communities in northwestern Nigeria continue to face persistent security challenges from scattered armed groups.
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