Taiwo Popoola
A notorious kidnapper, Salisu Mohammed, also known as Dogo Saleh, was killed during a failed rescue attempt by armed bandits in Kwassau Forest, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Security analyst, Zagazola Makama disclosed this in a post on his official X handle on Wednesday.
He revealed that the bandit, a top lieutenant of the wanted criminal kingpin Boka, met his end during a fierce exchange of gunfire between security forces and his associates.
According to Makama, Mohammed was arrested on January 9, 2025, at Gidan Abe in Kagarko LGA while traveling along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway towards Bwari Area Council.
“His capture was a breakthrough in dismantling the bandit networks terrorizing Kaduna and beyond,” he stated.
Following his arrest, the bandit confessed to orchestrating multiple kidnappings along the Lokoja-Abuja Highway, admitting that his gang of nearly 100 heavily armed fighters routinely targeted motorists.
He also revealed their possession of AK-47 rifles, General-Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), and Anti-Aircraft weapons.
Mohammed was linked to the abduction of a female police officer and her children, as well as a customs officer and his wife.
He further admitted to leading the January 5, 2025, attack on a naval checkpoint, where two personnel were killed, and their weapons seized.
Makama reported that security operatives launched an operation on March 4 to capture another notorious bandit, Abdu Musa, alias Kanabaro, who had been terrorizing travelers.
However, as the operatives advanced into Kwassau Forest at about 11:01 PM, they were ambushed by bandits suspected to be Kanabaro’s associates.
“The attack appeared to be a coordinated attempt to rescue Mohammed from security custody,” Makama stated.
The operatives engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to retreat into the forest with several sustaining gunshot wounds.
In the chaos, Mohammed was fatally shot by his allies before being evacuated to Kubwa General Hospital, where he was later confirmed dead.
A security source confirmed that an AK-47 rifle, along with a magazine containing two rounds of live ammunition, was recovered from the scene.
One of the security operatives, Inspector Suleiman Adamu of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, sustained minor injuries during the confrontation but was treated and discharged.
Following the incident, security forces have intensified patrols and surveillance in Kagarko LGA and along major highways to track down the fleeing bandits.
