The police have confirmed the death of Kachalla Sani Yellow, a notorious bandit leader in Zamfara State. They said they were not part of the operation that led to his death.
Yazid Abubakar, the spokesperson for the state police command, shared this information with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday. He noted that the police could confirm Mr Yellow's death but not the details of the operation.
"We have confirmed the killing, but it’s not our operation that conducted the operation," Mr Abubakar said during a phone interview.
He mentioned that the outlaw was killed on Saturday in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State. However, he did not provide more details about the operation since the police were not involved.
"Yesterday in Anka Local Government. That is all what I know," he said.
When asked if they recovered any weapons from the site, the police spokesperson stated that they had no information on that.
"I told you in the first speech that we are not the ones who conducted the operation. Whatever was recovered there, we are not in the picture," he said.
Mr Abubakar allowed PREMIUM TIMES to quote him directly on confirming the bandit’s death.
While the police confirmed that Mr Yellow is dead, different stories have come out about how he was killed. Some media reports said hunters and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force killed him after they fought off a bandit attack in Anka Local Government Area.
PRNigeria, citing unnamed security and community sources, reported that the operation was an intelligence ambush. This involved local volunteers and reformed ex-Boko Haram fighters working with security agencies.
The report said the operatives tracked the bandit leader using community intelligence. They intercepted him while he was allegedly at a local market to collect money from stolen livestock and negotiate ransom payments.
Another story from SaharaReporters, which attributed it to security sources, claimed that he might have been ambushed at Dan Jibga Market by armed men linked to rival bandit leader Dogo Gide.
This report also mentioned a different version linking his death to an ongoing joint security offensive in Anka. PREMIUM TIMES could not verify any of these conflicting accounts at the time of this report.
For years, security agencies, residents, and conflict researchers have seen Mr Yellow as one of the key bandit commanders in Anka, Bukkuyum, and Maru local government areas of Zamfara State. He was often accused of leading attacks on rural communities, organizing kidnappings for ransom, stealing livestock, and carrying out violent raids that displaced many residents across Zamfara and nearby areas in North-west Nigeria.
Security and community sources cited by PRNigeria said the bandit leader had a large criminal network involved in extortion and illegal levies in areas controlled by armed groups. The publication also quoted community sources claiming that Mr Yellow ordered his gang members to sexually assault some female captives if their families could not pay ransom. PREMIUM TIMES has not verified these allegations independently.
PRNigeria reported that Mr Yellow was believed to be related to the late Kachalla Yellow Danbokolo, another notorious bandit commander reportedly killed in 2025 during a major security operation.
The death of Sani Yellow is the latest reported killing of a high-profile bandit commander. Security forces and local volunteer groups are stepping up efforts against armed criminals in the North-west.
Security analysts have warned that killing key commanders can lead to retaliation or struggles for power among rival armed groups trying to take over their areas and criminal activities.
PRNigeria, quoting an anonymous defense intelligence source, reported that security agencies have increased surveillance and reinforced presence in vulnerable communities to prevent possible revenge attacks from Mr Yellow’s gang.
The Zamfara Police Command did not provide comments on extra security measures when PREMIUM TIMES reached out.
After reports of Mr Yellow’s death, videos and images showing his body being dragged behind a motorcycle spread widely on social media. PREMIUM TIMES has not verified the authenticity of these videos or the circumstances in which they were recorded.
The newspaper decided not to publish the graphic content due to its disturbing nature and in line with its editorial policy regarding violent imagery.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇