NOTORIOUS BANDIT KACHALLA TUKUR SHARME, LINKED TO KIDNAPPING OF 121 KADUNA BAPTIST PUPILS, KILLED IN GANG BATTLE. (PHOTO).

 Notorious Bandit Kachalla Tukur Sharme, Linked To Kidnapping Of 121 Kaduna Baptist Pupils, Killed In Gang Battle

Notorious bandit commander Kachalla Tukur Sharme, linked to the kidnapping of 121 Bethel Baptist High School pupils in Kaduna State, and two members of a rival gang have been killed in a violent clash between their groups in the forests around Rijana and Kaso, Kaduna State.

In a statement, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, confirmed that the clash, which occurred over the weekend, left several bandits critically injured, while some kidnapped victims managed to escape during the chaos.

As a result, the commissioner urged residents to contact the state’s Security Operations Room with any information if they notice any suspicious activity or movement.

Aruwan stated that Sharme, known for his brutal reign of terror across Kaduna and neighboring states, met his end in a fierce gunfight with a rival gang at a location identified as ‘Hambakko’, which spans Kachia, Chikun, and Kajuru local government areas of Kaduna.

According to Aruwan, “Intelligence sources revealed that five other bandits were wounded in the fratricidal clash and are now hiding in the area, seeking medical assistance. Residents in Rijana, Kaso, Kasarami, Jaka da-Rabi, and surrounding communities have been advised not to offer help to anyone with gunshot wounds but to report suspicious individuals to security forces immediately."

“Sharme had been responsible for numerous attacks, kidnappings, and cattle rustling incidents, including the infamous abduction of 121 students from Bethel Baptist High School, Kujama, on July 5, 2021,” Aruwan added.

The commissioner also noted that while Sharme had evaded security forces on several occasions, his death comes as a relief to many communities affected by his criminal activities. “His gang was notorious for attacks in areas such as Millennium City, Maraban Rido, Kujama, Kajuru, and the Kateri general area, as well as parts of Birnin Gwari, Kagarko, Kachia, and neighboring states of Katsina and Niger.”

However, Aruwan reported that during the operation to repel Sharme and his gang, two security personnel lost their lives.