Residents of Talata Mafara Local Government Area in Zamfara State have expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Minister of State for Defence Dr Bello Matawalle, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, and Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa for their roles in the elimination of two notorious bandit leaders

The operation, which targeted Jajji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili, has been hailed as a significant step towards restoring peace in the troubled region.

Yakubu Ibrahim Mafara, speaking on behalf of the Talata Mafara community, issued a statement on Friday commending the concerted efforts of the Nigerian government and security forces.

“We are very grateful to Matawalle, Tinubu, NSA, and others,” he said, reflecting the community’s relief and optimism following the operation.

The statement underscored the profound impact of the operation on the local population, which has long endured the terror inflicted by bandit groups in Zamfara State.

The operation took place on Thursday in Maikwanugga, a community within Talata Mafara Local Government Area, where security forces, alongside local vigilante groups, conducted targeted patrols along the Mafara axis.

According to the statement, reports indicate that Jijji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili, both feared bandit leaders responsible for numerous attacks, kidnappings, and extortion in the region, were neutralised during the operation.

” Their deaths have been described as a turning point for the community, which has suffered years of violence and insecurity.

“The killing of Jijji Ɗan Auta has brought relief and fresh air into our community,” Yakubu said, echoing the sentiments of residents who have lived under the shadow of banditry for years.

The operation is seen as a direct response to the escalating violence in Zamfara, where armed groups have terrorised rural communities, disrupted livelihoods, and displaced thousands.

The community’s gratitude reflects growing confidence in the government’s commitment to tackling insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest.

Meanwhile, the operation was a collaborative effort involving the Nigerian military and local vigilantes, who have increasingly played a critical role in intelligence-gathering and community defence.

The patrols in the Mafara axis were part of a broader strategy to dismantle bandit strongholds and restore normalcy to Zamfara, a state that has become a hotspot for banditry and kidnapping in recent years.

“The elimination of Jijji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili is expected to weaken the operational capacity of bandit groups in the region.”

The Nigerian military has called for stronger collaboration with relevant agencies to ensure proper documentation of individuals entering the country, citing the role of foreign herders in escalating violence in regions like Plateau and Benue States.

Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, made the appeal during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

“There are agencies responsible for this, and we need to collaborate effectively,” Kangye said, emphasizing the importance of a joint framework to tackle insecurity.

“Those entering Nigeria must be properly documented and accounted for.”

He said recent attacks by armed herders in Plateau, Benue, and other parts of the country have left dozens dead and displaced thousands, particularly in farming communities.

Kangye revealed that investigations point to foreign herders as the primary perpetrators of these violent attacks, with their distinct speech patterns and physical features setting them apart from local herders.

“The Hausa language spoken in Nigeria differs significantly from that in Mali, the Central African Republic, or Ghana,” he explained.

“When we apprehend these herders and terrorists, their speech and appearance—sometimes even their hair—indicate they are not from Nigeria.”

He noted that the Shuwa Arabs in Borno are the only Nigerian community with some similarities to Sahel-region herders, but even they are distinguishable.

While acknowledging that some Nigerian herders contribute to conflicts by encroaching on farmlands, Kangye stressed that the majority of the violence is driven by foreigners crossing Nigeria’s porous borders.

“The ongoing killings reported in certain areas are primarily committed by individuals who have infiltrated our borders,” he said.

Catholic cardinals have elected Robert Prevost, the first Pope from the United States of America, who has taken the new name Pope Leo XIV after the conclave decided in just four rounds of voting on Thursday.

Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi said it took cardinals only four rounds of voting to pick a new pope and that white smoke coming out of the Sistine Chapel chimney after a day’s voting is “a clear sign of the unity of the Church. ”

The Pontiff, picked even faster than his predecessor, Francis, appeared on the Vatican balcony amid enthusiastic cheers from thousands of faithful who packed St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday to witness the historic event.

“May peace be with all of you,” he said from the Vatican balcony after paying tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, who gave his life to the service of humanity. He stressed that he wants to deliver his blessing to the people as Pope Francis did in his last appearance in St Peter’s Square.

After concluding his speech, the new Pope started reading a religious passage in Latin, paying homage to the saints and the Madonna. The pope continued with a message of peace and noted, “God loves us all, unconditionally”.

“Humanity needs Christ as a bridge to be reached by God and his love. Help us, and help each other, build bridges.

“Without fear, united hand in hand with God, we are the Disciples of Christ, and the world needs his light.

“Brothers and sisters dearest, this is the first greeting of Christ resurrected. I want to offer a greeting of peace to your families, all of you, wherever you are. May peace be with you,” he said.

Chicago-born Prevost, 69, is seen as a reformer who worked for many years as a missionary in Peru before being made an archbishop there.

The cardinals strongly perceived that the new pope would need to carry forward Pope Francis’s legacy of reaching out to those on the margins and bring along with him a wide spectrum of those within the Church, including those with whom Pope Francis was sometimes at loggerheads.

Observers considered Cardinal Robert Prevost a candidate who could fulfil that role—someone who could be a bridge between different worlds.

The fact that the conclave decided in just four rounds of voting suggests that the cardinals agreed with that assessment.

Robert Prevost will be the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter. Although he is the first American to fill the role of Pope, he is considered as much a cardinal from Latin America because of the many years he spent as a missionary in Peru before becoming an archbishop there.

Born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of Ecuadorian and French descent, Prevost served as an altar boy and was ordained as a priest in 1982. Although he moved to Peru three years later, he returned regularly to the US to serve as a pastor and a priest in his home city.

He has Peruvian nationality and is fondly remembered as a figure who worked with marginalised communities and helped build bridges. He spent 10 years as a local parish pastor and teacher at a seminary in Trujillo in northwestern Peru.

He is well known to cardinals because of his high-profile role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Latin America, which has the critical task of selecting and supervising bishops. Francis made him a cardinal less than two years ago.

As Francis appointed 80% of the cardinals who took part in the conclave, it is unsurprising that someone like Prevost was elected, even if he was only recently appointed.

He will be seen as a figure who favoured the continuity of Francis’ reforms in the Catholic Church. Prevost is believed to have shared Francis’ views on migrants, the poor and the environment.

He will be fully aware of the divisions within the Catholic Church, and his Latin American background also represents continuity after a Pope who came from Argentina.

During his time as archbishop in Peru, he did not escape the sexual abuse scandals that have clouded the Church. However, his diocese fervently denied he had been involved in any attempted cover-up.

Before the conclave, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that during gatherings of the College of Cardinals in the days before the conclave they emphasised the need for a pope with “a prophetic spirit capable of leading a Church that does not close in on itself but knows how to go out and bring light to a world marked by despair”.

‎Top 10 Things to Know About the New Pope, Robert Francis Prevost

‎1. First American Pope

‎Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, is the first pope from the United States, born in Chicago, Illinois.

‎2. Elected as the 267th Pope

‎He was chosen after a swift two-day conclave, becoming the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

‎3. Age and New Namel

‎At 69 years old, he adopted the papal name Leo XIV upon his election.

‎4. Deep Missionary Experience in Latin America

‎Prevost spent over a decade in Peru as a bishop and seminary educator, gaining respect for his pastoral leadership and cultural fluency.

‎5. Leader of the Augustinian Order

‎He led the Augustinians globally for over ten years, managing an international religious community.

‎6. Key Vatican Roles

Before becoming pope, he was Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America—two influential positions in Church governance.

‎7. Academic and Legal Scholar

‎He holds degrees in mathematics, theology, and canon law, and has taught canon law in Latin America.

‎8. Calm, Reform-Oriented Leader

‎Known for his consensus-building style, Pope Leo XIV is seen as a clear-headed reformer continuing the legacy of Pope Francis.

‎9. Advocate for Women’s Inclusion

‎He supports meaningful female participation in Church governance, emphasising their real impact within Vatican bodies.

‎10. Mission-Driven Papacy

‎Pope Leo XIV remains committed to missionary work, global outreach, and addressing challenging issues like clerical abuse with humility and resolve.