By Bavoriat Clara
In a sustained effort to eradicate banditry and other security challenges in Kogi State, troops of 12 Brigade Nigerian Army have continued to achieve remarkable successes in the ongoing Operation EGWUA A TITE II, which commenced on 1 September 2025.
According to a statement by the Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations, 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, Lokoja, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, troops of 126 Battalion led by their Commanding Officer, in conjunction with Other Hybrid Forces (OHF), made contact with bandits during an advance in the Tunga general area. In the ensuing firefight, two bandits were neutralized.
To further boost the morale of troops, the Commander 12 Brigade Nigerian Army and Force Commander Operation Accord III, Brigadier General Kasim Umar Sidi, personally led exploitation operations along the axis. These efforts resulted in the destruction of several bandits’ settlements while troops continued to dominate the area through aggressive patrols and ambushes.
On 2 September 2025, acting on credible intelligence and with close air support from the 405 Helicopter Combat Training Group, troops launched a combat mission to Ankomi. Fleeing bandits were decisively engaged, leading to the neutralization of scores of criminals.
In another development, on 3 September 2025, troops of 126 Battalion, again led by their Commanding Officer, carried out clearance operations in Aleke, Ungwan Soni, and Ungwan Nyaba communities. During the operation, one Mr. Pabo Suleiman and his two children were rescued from captivity and reunited with their family. Troops also recovered five locally made dane guns.
Significantly, on 5 September 2025, intelligence confirmed the death of a notorious bandit commander, Kachalla Bala, and five of his fighters during a fierce gun battle at a hideout ahead of Tunga. On the same day, in a separate operation, troops working with OHF successfully ambushed a suspected bandits’ supply route at Agbede–Adankoo Bridge (Mosalanci Boka). A bandit logistics courier was neutralized, and items recovered included one motorcycle, two mobile phones, and an AK-47 magazine loaded with 20 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
The Nigerian Army has reiterated that troops of 12 Brigade remain fully committed to eradicating banditry, criminality, and other security threats in Kogi State and surrounding areas. The ongoing Operation EGWUA A TITE II continues to yield positive results, with troops maintaining firm resolve to restore peace and security across the region.
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