Notorious Bandit Kingpin and Turji’s Cousin, Kachalla Yellow Dan-Bokolo, Killed in Zamfara Clash
By Murtala Ahmed Rufa’i
Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies
Department of History and International Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
ZAMFARA, Nigeria – A key figure in Northwest Nigeria’s banditry crisis, Kachalla Yellow Dan-Bokolo, a first cousin and close ally of the notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, has been confirmed dead following injuries he sustained during a fierce confrontation with local vigilante groups and security operatives in rural parts of Shinkafi Local Government Area, Zamfara State, on 29th June 2025.
Dan-Bokolo, aged 27, was known not only for his blood ties to Turji but also for his extreme violence and growing influence in the region’s criminal networks. Married to four wives and father to 12 children, he was widely regarded as one of the most dangerous and brutal actors in the banditry landscape—believed by many to be even more ruthless and calculating than Turji himself.
What set Dan-Bokolo apart from other bandit leaders was his long-term dependence on hard drugs—particularly pentazocine, commonly abused in the criminal underworld as “pentameric injections.” His substance abuse fueled his capacity for extreme violence and desensitization to human suffering. According to security analysts, he was known to derive disturbing pleasure from orchestrating killings, kidnappings, and incidents of gender-based violence.
Dan-Bokolo received his combat training in the Dangulbi axis of Maru Local Government Area under the infamous Shehu Rakep—a pioneer bandit warlord and arms trafficker in the Sahel and Northwest Nigeria. Rakep's fighters were famed for their fearlessness and tactical acumen, qualities that Dan-Bokolo reportedly embodied with deadly efficiency.
While Turji was mentored by the late Kachalla Halilu Sububu in the Sububu forest, Dan-Bokolo embraced a more hardline ideological stance. He championed a doctrine of vengeance and maintained a no-dialogue policy. In April 2022, when Turji initiated a peace dialogue with the people of Shinkafi and urged his fighters to surrender their arms, Dan-Bokolo openly rejected the initiative and undermined the entire peace process.
Dan-Bokolo operated primarily from his base in Kagara, within Shinkafi LGA of Sokoto State. His territorial control extended across Bafarawa, Kamarawa, Gebe, and Dan-Zage, and included portions of western Shinkafi in Zamfara State. His armed camp was estimated to include at least 350 fighters—many of them teenagers addicted to hard drugs—spanning both Sokoto and Zamfara States.
Despite leading separate camps, Dan-Bokolo and Turji collaborated on numerous operations. Most of Turji’s high-profile attacks, including mass kidnappings and cattle rustling, were believed to have been co-executed with Dan-Bokolo’s tactical input. While Turji may have held symbolic leadership, Dan-Bokolo was often the operational mastermind behind many of the attacks.
Among the most heinous crimes linked to Dan-Bokolo are:
The death of Kachalla Yellow Dan-Bokolo marks a significant milestone in the ongoing counter-banditry efforts by Nigerian security forces. It is viewed as a major breakthrough for the security architecture in Zamfara and Sokoto States and may weaken the resolve and morale of Bello Turji, who has now lost not just a top commander but also a blood relative and trusted confidant.
Security analysts suggest that Turji may be compelled to either surrender under sustained military pressure or seek refuge in less hostile territories. Alternatively, this development could push him toward accepting peace dialogue, albeit as a last resort, should the military offensive intensify.
Dan-Bokolo’s demise is being celebrated as a crucial victory by local residents and stakeholders in the fight against violent criminal groups destabilizing Northwest Nigeria.
