Three notorious bandit leaders who operate in Zamfara state have reportedly lost their sanity due to excessive use of hard drugs.
According to intelligence reports from Zagazola, a counter security expert, the three bandit leaders, Kachalla Dan Baba, Kachalla Abu Guddi, and Kachalla Bello Kurma started exhibiting mental instability that made their gangs disarm them when they started wandering in the forests.
The development, which took place on March 27, 2025, disoriented their criminal factions, raising speculation among their followers.
Kachalla Dan Baba controls a large criminal network based in Kudo village, near Buzaya Forest in Maru Local Government Area. Dan Baba was said to have over 50 fighters under his command, orchestrating numerous kidnappings, highway ambushes, and cattle rustling operations in Zamfara and neighboring states.
While Kachalla Abu Guddi was another infamous warlord, headquartered in Gidan Garba village, Maru LGA. He was notorious for leading violent raids on communities, killing civilians, and engaging in arms trafficking.
Kachalla Bello Kurma has a base of operations deep within the Buzaya Forest, a known hideout for armed criminal gangs in Maru LGA. Security sources describe him as one of the most ruthless bandits in the region, with links to other terror groups operating in the North-West.
An intelligence source, who is a vigilante operative tracking bandit activities in the region, told Zagazola that the three bandit leaders began showing signs of erratic behavior, including talking to themselves, hallucinating, and making irrational decisions.
Witnesses claim that their own fighters, sensing weakness and fearing for their survival, seized their weapons and abandoned them in the forests.
“This is a very unusual situation. These men were feared warlords, controlling vast criminal networks. But something happened that caused them to lose their senses. Their followers saw that they were no longer fit to lead, so they disarmed them and left them to wander aimlessly,” the source said.
Due to the effects of prolonged drug abuse -many bandit leaders are known to abuse hard drugs- which could lead to severe mental disorders. In local communities, some believe that divine intervention or spiritual forces may have played a role in their sudden downfall, the source said.
“With their leaders gone mad, their gangs will either scatter or seek new alliances. This allows us to strike harder and eliminate them before they reorganize,” he said.
