In a significant breakthrough, troops from Niger Republic’s Operation Faraoutar Bushiya apprehended the leader of a notorious bandit group, Baleri, on Tuesday, May 28.
The arrest occurred at Rouga Kowa Gwani in the Guidan Roumdji commune and department.
PRNigeria reports that Baleri, originally from Shinkafi, who escaped from Nigeria, had been terrorizing Zamfara and Maradi regions and was a close associate of the infamous Bello Turji.
He was ranked the 40th most wanted person in Nigeria by the Nigerian army, with a price on his head.
According to Colonel Mohamed Almoctar Seydou Niandou, Chief of the Tactical Staff of Operation Faraoutar Bushiya, Baleri was arrested at around 1 pm while meeting with his men to plan attacks in Nigeria and Niger.
The Governor of the region, CGP Issoufou Mamane, and the Prosecutor of the Republic, Adamou Abdou Adam, commended the professionalism and commitment of the troops deployed on the ground during a presentation ceremony for the criminals.
They said the arrest marks a significant achievement in the fight against banditry and terrorism in the region.
