Ali Kachalla has been named as the mastermind behind the downing of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jet in July, and it has been claimed that he wanted to capture the fighter jet's pilot alive.
Remember that Abayomi Dairo, the jet's flight lieutenant and pilot, escaped safely from the plane when it was shot down in Kabaru village, about 15 kilometers west of Dansadau town in Zamfara state.
According to the Daily Trust, Kachalla, a bandit leader operating in the country's northwest region, is in his thirties and has reportedly increased attacks on Dansadau town to protest the town's blockade of supplies to him and the villagers' protests.
The bandit commander is said to command over 200 armed men in the Kuyambana forest and is infamous for ambushing military personnel. According to the report, the armed individuals outnumber the majority of other gang members in the region.
“His village, consisting of numerous rows of thatched houses, lies on the Birnin Gwari side of the river,” a local source stated. His major herd of cattle, however, is based in Zamfara State and is tended by his heavily armed boys. His boys can be found in the Dandalla, Madada, and Gobirawa Kwacha areas right now as I speak with you. The villages are all located southeast of the town of Dansadau. They're all under the supervision of armed men.”
“The Dansadau community has enraged Kachalla and his boys after local shops refused to sell him food,” a source said.
“Some unscrupulous individuals among the local traders continue to supply bread, soft drinks, and other supplies to the forest bandits.”
Residents of the neighborhood recently staged a protest against business transactions, obstructing businesses' attempts to interact with the criminals.
Security personnel has increased their attempts to apprehend suspected informants in coordination with local citizens.
