Nigerian Army 33 Artillery Brigade destroys notorious bandit camps and captures families in Bauchi forest

Troops from the 33 Artillery Brigade have destroyed bandit camps in Bauchi, capturing 19 family members and recovering illegal uniforms and weapons.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 15, 2026, 8:06 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Daily Nigerian

Strategic Offensive in the Dajin Madam Forest

The Nigerian Army has intensified its campaign against organized crime in Bauchi State, launching a coordinated offensive that has successfully dismantled several criminal strongholds. According to an operational report released on Wednesday, troops from the 33 Artillery Brigade joined forces with a specialized team from the Office of the National Security Adviser to penetrate the Dajin Madam forest. This high stakes clearance operation was designed to flush out bandits who have used the dense woodland as a base for regional instability, resulting in a significant disruption of their illegal activities.

Dismantling Notorious Criminal Infrastructure

During the incursion, military personnel overran several prominent hideouts, including the well known Azuge and Hari camps. The report indicates that under heavy and sustained military pressure, numerous bandits were neutralized, while others abandoned their positions and fled deeper into the wilderness. By capturing these specific locations, the army has effectively severed the local command and control structures of the bandit networks, preventing them from using these established sites to launch further attacks on nearby civilian populations.

Capture of Families and Recovery of Logistics

In a significant development for intelligence gathering, the troops took 19 family members of the bandits into military custody. This group consists of six women and 13 children who were found within the cleared camps. Beyond the human captures, the army recovered a diverse array of logistical items, including an AK 47 magazine, significant quantities of tramadol, and equipment used for criminal impersonation. Most notably, the recovery included a pair of police uniforms and several sets of military fatigues, which are frequently used by bandits to deceive the public and bypass security checkpoints.