Troops from the Mobile Strike Team, operating under Operation Fasan Yamma, have successfully eliminated a notorious terrorist leader, Auta, along with at least 14 of his fighters during a targeted assault in Zamfara State’s Tsafe Local Government Area.
The military operation, which occurred on June 10, 2025, in the area surrounding Ƙunchin Kalgo town, also resulted in the deaths of Auta’s close associates, Abdul Jamilu and Salisu.
According to a statement released on Thursday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, Auta and his group had long been behind a series of violent attacks and acts of terror across the region.
Their neutralization, Kangye said, represents a major setback for terrorist networks operating in the area.
“Troops of the Mobile Strike Team under Operation Fasan Yamma conducted a successful offensive against terrorists near Ƙunchin Kalgo in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara. Among those neutralized were Auta and his associates, who were responsible for numerous atrocities in the region,” Kangye stated.
Preliminary intelligence reports also indicate that two additional terrorist leaders, including one identified as Babayé, were killed in the operation.
In a separate offensive, troops reportedly took down Sale Ado Madele, alias Sarki, the eldest son of notorious bandit commander Ado Alieru. His death is seen as a significant blow to the Alieru-led faction, which has been implicated in multiple cases of kidnapping and murder across Zamfara and nearby states.
Further engagements led to the killing of 10 more armed terrorists near a filling station in Danjibga. Intelligence sources suggest that the group was assembled by another criminal leader, Dogo Sule, in preparation for an attack.
Major General Kangye reaffirmed the Nigerian Armed Forces’ commitment to protecting civilians and restoring peace in Zamfara and the wider North-West region. He emphasized that the ongoing operations highlight the military’s determination to dismantle terror cells and bring violent actors to justice.