In a major breakthrough in Nigerias fight against terrorism and banditry in the North West, security forces have confirmed the elimination of Kachalla Yellow Danbokolo, a top commander in the notorious Turji-led terror network. Danbokolo succumbed to gunshot injuries on June 26, three days after he was fatally wounded in a daring joint operation carried out by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the HYBRID Forces in the Chida general area of Fakai District, Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Danbokolo was believed to be the field commander responsible for orchestrating some of the deadliest attacks in the region. During the June 23 operation, he reportedly led an ambush against the advancing security operatives but was critically injured in the intense firefight that followed. He was shot multiple times in the abdomen and chest before being evacuated by his fighters to Kamarawa village in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, where he eventually died.
Security sources confirmed his death through intercepted communications and reports from local informants, describing the development as a significant blow to the Turji terror network.
The operation, which reportedly caught the terrorists off guard, resulted in the deaths of at least 25 fighters and the destruction of multiple insurgent camps. Despite the success, the mission was not without losses. In a counter-attack led by Turji himself, over 100 fighters engaged the operatives, killing 13 ten HYBRID Forces members and three private collaborators, including ex-militant leader Bashir Maniya and two of his lieutenants. Twenty-three others were injured.
Danbokolos death has sparked celebrations in several communities across Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina States.
For over five years, Danbokolo ruled these forests like a warlord, collecting taxes from farmers and killing defaulters. We are finally breathing again, said Alhaji Lawal Gatawa, a community elder in Gatawa village.
Another local source said: This is more than just eliminating a bandit. Danbokolo was the spine of the Turji groups operations. Turji rarely shows up for attacks Danbokolo was the executor. When operations succeed, Turji takes credit in videos.
Danbokolos deep knowledge of forest routes, local terrain, and logistics made him a strategic asset to the group, according to a senior intelligence officer. His elimination, analysts say, is likely to disrupt the networks command structure and weaken its operational capacity in the near term.
Removing Danbokolo from the battlefield is like pulling the engine out of a truck, a Sokoto-based security expert noted.
While the DSS has yet to release an official statement, insiders within the security community have described the raid as a resounding success and a critical turning point in ongoing counterterrorism efforts in the region.
@ Zagazola Makama
