Troops Nab Wanted Bandit Kingpin, Wife In Gombe

Troops have arrested the second-in-command to a notorious bandit kingpin, Kachalla Auta, and his wife in Gombe State. This followed a coordinated intelligence-led operation targeting fleeing members of the criminal network.

Security sources identified the suspect as Bala, widely known by his alias “Pakapaka,” and his wife, Zulaha Bala. The duo was reportedly intercepted after escaping from the Dajin Madam Forest in Plateau State, where security pressure forced the gang’s members to disperse.

According to sources, the arrests resulted from sustained intelligence surveillance and coordinated ground tracking by operatives across multiple locations. The operation is part of a broader crackdown on bandit networks operating in parts of the North-East and North-Central regions.

A security analyst Zagazola Makama, who is familiar with security developments in Northern Nigeria, disclosed the development via his X handle yesterday, explaining that the suspects were in custody and undergoing interrogation.

Zagazola added that the troops have intensified follow-up operations around Bayar village in the Duguri axis in Bauchi State, after intelligence suggested that the main kingpin, Kachalla Auta, may have fled into the area.

Troops have maintained a strong presence in the area through sustained patrols aimed at restricting the movement of criminal elements and dismantling their operational networks across Plateau, Taraba, and neighbouring states.

As of press time, security authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the arrest.