Security forces have intercepted a major bandit operation in Niger State, killing 45 armed men in a pre-emptive strike outside Kuchi town, Munya Local Government Area. The coordinated operation was led by tactical units of the Department of State Services (DSS) and supported by the Nigerian military.

According to security sources familiar with the operation, the offensive was based on intelligence that linked the movement of over 100 heavily armed fighters from Bilbis forest in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State and parts of Kaduna State to a planned attack in Kuchi. The fighters were reportedly invited by notorious bandit leader Dogo Gide.

“In the early hours of Monday, 2nd June 2025, bandits from Kaduna and Zamfara States, numbering about 100, heavily armed with sophisticated weapons, advanced towards Kuchi town in Munya LGA,” said one source. “However, operatives launched a surprise attack and waylaid the bandits in the outskirts of Kuchi town.”

The source disclosed that the DSS had been tracking the group’s movements for days and acted before the attackers could reach their intended targets. A firefight ensued between the fleeing militants and the joint team, resulting in the deaths of 45 bandits, the injury of several others, and the recovery of motorcycles and ammunition.

Five DSS operatives were also reported to have sustained serious injuries and are receiving medical care.

“This ambush, which is a part of sustained offensives against the bandits, followed the earlier decimation of over 50 bandits,” the source said. “It has dealt a heavy blow on Dogo Gide, who in the past months has been losing huge territories to the superior firepower and covert disruptions by operatives deployed to these troubled spots.”

The source added that the recent operations reflect a shift in strategy by the DSS, focusing on early intelligence gathering and pre-emptive action. “Serious heat has been turned on them, and we hope they will be sustained. We pray that these efforts, by the SSS that appear quite new and aimed at saving our communities from the bandits, will continue.”