Night Raid in Kogi: Nigerian Army Nabs Alleged Terrorist Informant Linked to Notorious Bandit Leader in Forest Operation.

A late-night intelligence-driven military operation in central Nigeria has led to the arrest of a suspected terrorist informant believed to be working closely with a notorious bandit commander, as troops intensify efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating across forest corridors in the North-Central region.

Troops of the Nigerian Army under Operation MESA carried out the coordinated raid in Kogi State, where a suspected informant was apprehended in the early hours of June 1 during a joint operation involving soldiers of the 12 Brigade and local vigilante groups.

Security sources revealed that the operation took place at about 11:59 p.m., following sustained surveillance and pursuit of suspected armed bandits moving through known forest routes within the Lokoja axis of Lokoja Local Government Area.

According to the sources, troops had been tracking a group of fleeing suspected terrorists through a known infiltration corridor around the Adankolo Forest when they intercepted the suspect in the nearby Odo Ape Forest area. The forests in the region are widely believed to serve as hideouts and transit routes for armed criminal groups operating between states.

During the interception, the suspect was taken into custody without resistance. Preliminary field interrogation reportedly linked him to a well-known bandit commander identified as “Kachallah Baccujo,” who is said to operate within the wider forest belt spanning Kogi and neighbouring states.

Security officials described the suspect as a “close informant,” allegedly responsible for relaying intelligence on troop movements and community activities to the armed group, thereby aiding their operations and evasive tactics.

Two mobile phones were recovered from the suspect at the point of arrest. Investigators believe the devices may contain communications, contacts, or evidence capable of exposing wider criminal networks and operational links between informants and armed groups in the region.

Following the arrest, the suspect was immediately transferred to the custody of the Department of State Services for further interrogation and intelligence exploitation.

Military authorities confirmed that the operation was part of ongoing joint security efforts under Operation MESA; an inter-agency framework involving the Nigerian Army and other security stakeholders designed to combat banditry, terrorism, and other violent crimes across vulnerable regions.

Officials noted that the arrest represents a significant breakthrough in efforts to disrupt the support networks that sustain armed groups, particularly informants who provide logistics, intelligence, and safe passage within rural and forested terrain.

Security operations have recently intensified across Kogi State following repeated concerns over bandit infiltration routes linking parts of the North-West with central Nigeria. Authorities say targeting informants and logistical enablers remains a key strategy in weakening the operational capacity of criminal groups.

Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing, with security agencies expected to expand their probe based on intelligence extracted from the suspect’s devices and statements.

The Nigerian military has reaffirmed its commitment to sustained clearance operations in forested areas, warning that individuals aiding or collaborating with armed groups will continue to face arrest and prosecution as part of broader counter-insurgency efforts.