HUNTERS KILL TWO SUSPECTED BANDITS, RECOVER N10M RANSOM IN KANO FOREST

Two suspected bandits have been killed and ₦10 million in ransom recovered after local hunters ambushed them in Falgore Forest, Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State.

The Kano hunters kill bandits N10m ransom operation followed the release of a kidnapped victim, Kabiru Aliyu, and has been commended by the state police command .

THE ABDUCTION

Kabiru Aliyu, 45, of Falgore Village, was kidnapped on September 11, 2026, and spent days in captivity before his abductors demanded ₦10 million for his release.

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THE AMBUSH

According to the Kano State Police Command, three suspected bandits, believed to have emerged from Falgore Forest and to be from Maigwanda Village in Kubau Local Government Area of Kaduna State, came to collect the ransom at about midnight on Saturday.

After collecting the money, the suspects released the victim unharmed but were ambushed by local hunters, popularly known as Yan Bula, while returning to their hideout in the forest .

“During the ambush, two of the suspected bandits were neutralised, while the third suspect escaped with injuries,” the police statement said.

The entire ₦10 million ransom was recovered intact from the dead suspects.

THE IDENTIFICATION

Preliminary investigations identified one of the deceased suspects as Dogo Isah, a commercial motorcycle operator from Maigwanda Village in Kubau LGA of Kaduna State.

THE POLICE COMMENDATION

The Commissioner of Police in Kano State, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended the local hunters for their resilience and commitment to supporting security operations in the area.

He said their efforts had continued to complement Operation Kukan Kura, the police operation aimed at tackling kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes in the state.

Bakori directed the Area Commander, Divisional Police Officers and tactical teams operating within the axis to immediately comb the area to track down the fleeing suspect.

The rescued victim was debriefed, medically examined and reunited with his family .

WHY IT MATTERS

The involvement of local hunters in the fight against banditry is a reflection of the desperation of communities in Nigeria’s North-West, where security agencies are often outnumbered and outgunned.

The Yan Bula hunters know the terrain and have local intelligence that formal security forces lack. Their success in this operation, killing two bandits and recovering the full ransom, demonstrates their value as partners in security.

But it also highlights the gaps in the formal security architecture. Communities should not have to rely on hunters to protect them from kidnappers. ValidViewNetwork reports that the police are searching for the fleeing suspect.