Notorious Gunman Nasiru Kachalla, Others Killed In Gun Battle With Rival Gang In Kaduna Forest

Nasiru Kachalla, a notorious gunman, suspected to be the mastermind of several criminal acts in Kaduna State, has been killed, Kaduna State Government said.

In a statement, Samuel Aruwan, the state Commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs, on Monday said Kachalla was killed in a clash between his gang and a rival group of terrorists.

He has been on the run for masterminding several criminal acts, including kidnappings, killings, cattle rustling and terrorism in the state, the commissioner said.

Aruwan said human intelligence networks confirmed that criminals from the rival sides were also killed, including some of Kachalla’s lieutenants. 

“The clash occurred in a forest around the boundaries of Kajuru-Chikun Local Government Areas of Kaduna Central Senatorial District,” the commissioner said.

He explained that a dispute over a large herd of rustled cattle was said to have triggered the fatal confrontation. 

Aruwan said Kachalla and his gang were also involved in several crimes, including kidnappings, killings and terrorism on the Kaduna-Abuja road and also in the Chikun/Kajuru general areas. 

He added that Kachalla was the mastermind of the January 9  kidnapping of a seminarian of Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kaduna,  and the January  24 kidnapping of Mrs Bola Ataga and her two children. 

“The criminals later killed one of the seminarians, Michael Nnadi and Mrs Ataga before releasing her children,” the commissioner said.

Kachalla’s criminal gang was also responsible for the kidnapping of six students and two teachers of Engravers College in Kakau village of Chikun Local Government Area on October.  3, 2019, Aruwan said. 

He said while Kachalla was being pursued, security agents arrested three members of his gang, Tukur Usman, Shehu Bello and Mustapha Mohammed in April.

In a related development, the commissioner stated that troops of the Nigerian Army repelled an attempted attack by armed men along the Galadimawa-Zaria road in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

He said that the armed men blocked the road for some minutes, shooting sporadically at motorists plying the route. 

“A combined team of the 4 Battalion and Field Engineers Regiment of the Nigerian Army mobilised to the location,” Aruwan said.

“The road was cleared and normalcy was restored, with no kidnapping or harm to motorists,” he said, adding that troops and police were currently dominating the area with patrols.

He said that the government was informed of an incident in a forest located in the western part of Chikun Local Government Area, where gunmen opened fire on some hunters.

Aruwan said security agents were carrying out investigations to ascertain the exact location as well as fatalities if any.  Citizens will be briefed on the operational feedback as it emerges, he said.

In the meantime, Governor Nasir El-Rufai has appealed to Tsohon Gaya, Sabon Gaya and other communities with members missing in the hunting expedition to remain calm.