A notorious bandit kingpin known as Alhaji Ma’oli in Zamfara State has been killed by troops of 1 Brigade in Sector 2 Joint Task Force North West, Operation Fansan Yamma.

Ma’oli was reportedly responsible for imposing illegal levies on residents of some communities in Zamfara state.

The Coordinator, Joint Media Coordination Centre of the operation, Lt. Col. Abdullahi Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement issued in Gusau, on Friday, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria.

The operation took place on Dec. 26, in Maisheka village, near Kunchin Kalgo town in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.

According to the statement, “The area is one of the local communities that had suffered under Ma’oli’s reign of terror. Ma’oli was renowned for always imposing illegal levies on residents of Unguwan Rogo, Mai Sheka, Magazawa, and other surrounding areas of Bilbis in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State.

“The neutralising of Ma’oli has brought relief and excitement to locals in Bilbis general area.”

“The operation was initiated in response to intelligence report of terrorists on motorcycles operating in Bilbis axis of Bilbis District, Tsafe LGA.”

It added that swift response by troops of Operation Fansan Yamma not only thwarted the terrorists’ plan to attack the locals but also reinforced the commitment to securing the area from further acts of violence.

“The operation Fansan Yamma remains resolute in its mandate to pursue and neutralise all remaining terrorists and their collaborators across the Joint Task Force Theatre of Operation.

“The Joint Task Force will also continue to work diligently alongside local communities towards achieving lasting peace and security in Zamfara and beyond,” it added.

According to eyewitnesses, the victim had just returned from church when he was killed. He had gone to buy food at a Mobil Filling Station along Enugu-Abakaliki Road when the accident occurred.

Atragic accident occurred in Enugu State capital on Friday morning, resulting in the death of a 15-year-old boy.

It was gathered that the incident happened around 8:30 am beside Nwanne Di N’mba Housing Estate, when an articulated truck belonging to a construction firm ran over the pedestrian.

According to eyewitnesses, the victim had just returned from church when he was killed. He had gone to buy food at a Mobil Filling Station along Enugu-Abakaliki Road when the accident occurred.

Eyewitnesses provided conflicting accounts of the cause of the accident, with some stating that the truck driver was sleeping, while others claimed that the truck veered off course after a Sienna vehicle made a sudden turn on the highway.

Unfortunately, the truck ran over the pedestrian, killing him instantly, while three others sustained serious injuries.

“The boy had already bought Okpa that the parents sent him to buy and was returning home when the unfortunately incident happened. He was walking on the pedestrian walkway and truck ran over him.

“His brother and two other persons narrowly survived. They have been taken to the hospital while the police have taken the deceased to the mortuary,” one of the eyewitnesses told SaharaReporters.

The incident has left the neighbourhood in shock, and an investigation into the cause of the accident is likely to follow.

A two-story building still under construction has collapsed at No. 20 Ozuitem Street, Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

The building, said to be owned by a “very wealthy” resident of Umuahia, collapsed on Christmas Day when the site workers had taken the day off.

The cause of the collapse has not yet been officially established, but some residents living near the building claimed that substandard materials may have been used by the contractor, which they alleged compromised the integrity of the structure.

A resident who pleaded anonymity thanked God for sparing the lives of the site workers, saying: “Yesterday was Christmas Day and there was no work. If not, who knows what would have happened?”

He said that the contractor had gone into hiding after realising what had happened to avoid being arrested or questioned.

When DAILY POST visited the site on Thursday afternoon, a bulldozer was demolishing the remaining parts of the building to ensure they did not collapse onto adjacent houses.

Messages boldly pasted around the site by the Umuahia Capital Development Authority, UCDA, dated December 26, 2024, declared that the site had been sealed.

When DAILY POST contacted the Public Relations Officer of the Umuahia Capital Development Authority, Mrs Nkeiru Ogba, she confirmed that her office had visited the site of the collapsed building to ascertain what had happened.

She said that the owners of some of the buildings that had collapsed in the state did not follow due process or had refused to comply with official regulations.