A coordinated offensive by a police tactical team in Lilo village, Wonaka District of Gusau LGA, has neutralised notorious bandit kingpin, Alhaji Lawali Dandumbulu, marking a significant operational breakthrough in the ongoing security crackdown across Zamfara State.
The operation, which involved the deployment of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) along strategic routes, saw security operatives engage heavily armed bandits who had earlier invaded the community.
According to a local source, the attackers stormed the village on over 40 motorcycles, killing one person, abducting nine others, and injuring another, while also rustling more than 1,000 cattle and looting shops and food silos.
The source disclosed that the police response team was swift and coordinated, with one APC confronting the assailants directly, forcing them to retreat into surrounding bushes, while another advanced through the Wonaka-Auta and Tambalawa axis to cut off escape routes.
“They were overpowered during the exchange. Two of the bandits were killed on the spot, including their leader, Alhaji Lawali Dandumbulu. His camp was also destroyed,” the source said.
Four suspects were initially arrested during the operation, although three were later neutralised during subsequent engagements.
The dismantling of the bandit leader’s stronghold is seen as a major disruption to criminal networks operating within the axis.
Confirming the development, the Zamfara State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, described the operation as a success and a testament to the Command’s intensified efforts to rid the state of criminal elements.
He urged residents to sustain collaboration with security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence, noting that such cooperation remains critical to consolidating recent gains and ensuring lasting security across affected communities.
