LOKOJA, Nigeria — Nigerian Army troops have exhumed the remains of suspected terrorist and bandit leader Ibrahim Battijo following his death during a security operation in Kogi State, authorities have confirmed.
The operation was carried out by troops of the 12 Brigade under the command of Brigadier General Karim Sidi in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, where Battijo was reportedly killed during a failed attack on Iluke community on June 10. According to the Kogi State Government, the exhumation formed part of a follow-up clearance operation aimed at gathering intelligence and further dismantling the criminal network linked to the notorious gang leader.
Okay News reports that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo disclosed the development during a meeting with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu in Abuja on Monday. The governor said security agencies had uncovered an alleged plot by Battijo and his associates to attack and abduct students writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) at Government Secondary School, Iluke.
Following intelligence reports, the state government relocated the students to a safer location before the planned attack. Security personnel comprising military operatives, other security agencies, members of the Kogi State Vigilante Service and local hunters later confronted the armed group when they reportedly attempted to invade the community.
The ensuing gun battle resulted in the death of Battijo and several members of his gang, according to the state government. Authorities said more than 15 bodies of suspected bandits were recovered during subsequent clearance operations, while additional gang members were reportedly tracked down and neutralised after attempting to evade security forces.
Governor Ododo described the operation as the outcome of close collaboration between federal security agencies, local security outfits and the Kogi State Government. He commended the Nigerian military, intelligence agencies, vigilante operatives and local hunters for their roles in the mission, noting that their knowledge of the terrain contributed significantly to the outcome.
Responding, Ribadu reportedly described Battijo as one of the most dangerous terrorist figures operating within the region and said his elimination represented a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and banditry. He also pledged continued federal support for security operations in Kogi State, which shares borders with nine states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Kogi State Government said the elimination of Battijo, the recovery of suspected gang members’ bodies and the subsequent exhumation of the gang leader’s remains rank among the state’s most significant counter-terrorism successes in recent years.
