Kaduna State authorities have confirmed the death of Kachalla Sharme, a notorious bandit commander linked to the 2021 abduction of 121 students from Bethel Baptist High School.
Sharme was killed in a gunfight with a rival gang at Hambakko in the Rijana and Kaso forests, spanning Kachia, Chikun, and Kajuru Counties, according to Samuel Aruwan, Kaduna’s Commissioner for Internal Security.
“After diligent follow-up operations and exploitation of vast human intelligence networks, it can be happily reported that the notorious bandit commander Kachalla Tukur Sharme, and other bandits, have been killed in a fratricidal clash,” Aruwan said.
The clash also claimed the lives of two other bandits and injured five. This led to the escape of some kidnapped victims. Sharme had previously evaded security forces and was responsible for numerous attacks across Kaduna and neighboring states.
“Sharme and his gang of bandits were largely responsible for attacks, killings and kidnappings in Millennium City, Maraban Rido, Kujama, Kajuru, Maro, villages in Kateri general area and other locations in adjoining LGAs (counties) of Kagarko, Kachia and Birnin Gwari,” said Aruwan. “This was in addition to his criminal acts in neighbouring states of Katsina and Niger, which were also left reeling from the waves of his terrorism.”
The fight against Sharme’s group had cost the lives of two security personnel.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
