In a brazen and unexpected offensive, tactical operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), backed by the Nigerian Military, neutralised no fewer than 45 bandits near Kuchi town in Munya Local Government Area of Niger State, The Nation has learned.
The stealth operation, carried out with surgical precision, is the latest in a string of high-impact offensives aimed at dismantling the operational strongholds of criminal kingpins terrorising the North-Central region.
According to security sources, the DSS intercepted intelligence detailing a major planned invasion orchestrated by notorious bandit leader, Dogo Gide. The attack, involving over 100 heavily armed militants drawn from the Bilbis forest in Maru LGA of Zamfara State and parts of Kaduna State, was intended to unleash coordinated terror on several villages around the Kuchi axis.
“Acting swiftly on this intelligence, the DSS ambushed the insurgents in the early hours of Monday, June 2, 2025,” one source disclosed. “The operatives intercepted the bandits at the outskirts of Kuchi town and engaged them in a fierce gun battle.”
The resulting clash reportedly left 45 bandits dead, with several others injured. Security forces also recovered a cache of weapons, motorcycles, and ammunition from the scene.
However, the success came at a cost. Five DSS operatives sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment in hospital.
This latest strike is seen as a major blow to Dogo Gide’s influence, coming on the heels of recent operations that wiped out over 50 of his fighters. His network, which once held sway across large swathes of Niger, Zamfara, and Kaduna, has been steadily losing ground under intensified pressure from the DSS and allied forces.
“Dogo Gide is losing territory and men. The heat is on, and it’s unlike anything he has faced before,” said another source. “We just hope these new tactics by the SSS are sustained. Our communities are tired of living in fear.”
Residents of Kuchi and surrounding areas have welcomed the development, expressing cautious optimism that the government is finally gaining ground in the war against rural banditry.
