Security Operatives Foil Bandit Ambush, Kill Notorious Kidnapper “Dogo Saleh” in Kaduna
By Zagazola Makama
Security operatives have successfully repelled an ambush by suspected bandits in Kwassau Forest, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, resulting in the death of a notorious kidnapper, Salisu Mohammed, also known as Dogo Saleh.
Mohammed, a known hitman and top lieutenant of the wanted bandit leader Boka, was arrested on January 9, 2025, at Gidan Abe, Kagarko LGA, while traveling along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway towards Bwari Area Council.
His capture was part of ongoing efforts by security forces to dismantle bandit networks terrorizing Kaduna State and other part of the country.
Following his arrest, Mohammed confessed to leading multiple kidnappings along the Lokoja-Abuja Highway, where his gang, numbering about 100 heavily armed fighters, routinely attacked motorists.
He disclosed that his group was in possession of a large cache of weapons, including AK-47 rifles, General-Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), and Anti-Aircraft guns.
Among their high-profile abductions were the kidnapping 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 naval personnel were killed, and their weapons were carted away.
Based on his confession, security operatives launched an operation on March 4, 2025, to apprehend another notorious bandit leader, Abdu Musa, also known as Kanabaro, who had been terrorizing travelers along the Lokoja-Abuja Highway.
At approximately 11:01 PM, as the anti-kidnapping team advanced toward the target’s location in Kwassau Forest, they were ambushed by a group of bandits suspected to be associates of Kanabaro. The attack appeared to be an attempt to rescue Mohammed from security custody.
However, the operatives engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle, successfully repelling the ambush. The bandits, overwhelmed by superior firepower, retreated into the forest with several of them believed to have sustained gunshot wounds.
During the exchange of gunfire, Mohammed sustained severe gunshot injuries inflicted by his own allies in the chaos. He was immediately evacuated to Kubwa General Hospital, where he was later confirmed dead by medical personnel on duty.
One of the security operatives, identified as Inspector Suleiman Adamu of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, also sustained minor injuries during the confrontation. He was treated and subsequently discharged.
A security source confirmed that an AK-47 rifle, along with a magazine containing two rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, was recovered from the scene.
Following the attack, security forces have intensified patrols and surveillance operations in Kagarko LGA and along major highways to track down the fleeing bandits. Authorities have also assured residents that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining members of the criminal network.
The successful operation marks another significant victory in the fight against banditry in Kaduna and its surrounding areas.
