Fact Check: Is the ‘Baleri’ Captured by Nigerien Troops the Same as the Nigerian Military’s Wanted Terrorist?”

Fact Check: Is the ‘Baleri’ Captured by Nigerien Troops the Same as the Nigerian Military’s Wanted Terrorist?”

Claim: reports have emerged that troops of the Niger Republic have captured bandit kingpin notorious for terrorising “Zamfara and Maradi (in the Niger Republic) regions, but a local source tipped PRNigeria off, claiming that the captured Baleri by Niger authorities is different from the notoriously known Baleri in Nigeria. 

Full Text: Media reports surfaced that notorious Nigerian bandit kingpin, Kachalla Baleri, has been arrested in the Niger Republic, where he had been operating after escaping from Nigeria.

Baleri was arrested by troops of Niger Republic’s Operation Faraoutar Bushiya on Tuesday at Rouga Kowa Gwani in the Guidan Roumdji commune in a move described as a “significant breakthrough,’ by the French country’s authorities.

After PRNigeria’s report referencing official sources on the issue, Air Info Agadez, a Niger-based media platform, posted on its Facebook page the following:“#Maradi #Security: Arrest of a leader of bandits artfully wanted.

“This is a great feat that has just been accomplished by Operation_Faraoutar Bushiya. The notorious armed bandit, originally from Shinkafi, who terrorised his native Zamfara and Maradi region, right arm of the notorious Bello Turji, was apprehended on Tuesday, May 28 at Rouga Kowa Gwani in Guidan_Roumdji commune and department.

“Baleri’s head was already priced by the Nigerian army, which ranked him as the 40th most wanted person in Nigeria.

“According to the chief of the tactical staff of Operation Faraoutar Bushiya. Colonel Mohamed Almoctar Seydou Niandou, Balleri, was apprehended at about 1 pm, in a clearing 10km east of Tankama while meeting with his men, planning attacks in Nigeria and Niger.

“Speaking at the presentation ceremony of the criminals, the Governor of the region CGP Issoufou Mamane and the Prosecutor of the Republic Adamou Abdou Adam hailed and encouraged the professionalism and commitment of the SDFs deployed on the ground. Le Souffle de Maradi,” it concluded.

Verification: “The one arrested is from Ƴan-Tiƙa village along the Nigeria-Niger border,” a local source with knowledge of activities of non-state actors in Northwest stated in a terse WhatsApp message, tipping PRNigeria off to the possibility of a different Baleri from the one arrested by the Nigerian authorities. 

PRNigeria then did an online search, which revealed that Kachalla Baleri, said to be a close associate of the equally notorious Bello Turji who has been terrorising the people of North West Nigeria, is the one known and reported in the media. He was one of the 19 Bandit Kingpins declared wanted by the Defense Headquarters in November 2022 and was accused of collecting ransom from relatives of abductees in new naira notes, which he flaunted in a viral video. 

When PRNigeria reverted to the source with an academic background regarding these findings, he emphasised that the notorious Baleri in the news report is Baleri Fakai, while the one captured by the Nigerien authorities is the Kachalla Baleri, as reported. 

PRNigeria then obtained an 18-second video clip featuring the notorious Bello Turji flanked by other bandits and various assault weapons.

In the video, Turji is heard in the background pointing at Baleri and saying, “Here is Turji’s boss.” When the cameraman points the camera at him, he asks, “What is the name?” he replies, “Baleri.” Then the cameraman asks again from where, and he emphasises his name instead, saying, “Baleri Fakai.” 

PRNigeria then took a screenshot of Baleri Fakai’s photo and ran a reverse image search, which results confirmed that Baleri Fakai is the actual notorious bandit that has been reported in media circles and is the same face listed on the 19 most wanted terrorists by Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters in November 2022. 

When PRNigeria compared both photos with the one released by the Nigerien authorities, there was a significantly noticeable difference between both individuals. 

While Kachalla Baleri has a longer face with a greater length than width and a hairline close to the forehead, Baleri Fakai has a more circular face shape with an almost similar height and width and a receding hairline despite wearing a cap. Similarly, Kachalla has a hawk nose with a sharp bridge that curves downward, while Fakai’s wide nose features a broad base and a relatively flat bridge.

Further digging shows that the other Baleri (Kachalla) differs from the most deadly Baleri (Fakai), whom the notorious Bello Turji called his boss in a video. 

PRNigeria then spoke to some local sources in Zamfara, who confirmed these findings. 

“For nearly a year, Baleri Fakai and some of his fellow bandits in the Shinkafi area have not been in active hostilities to the troops and residents in the axis due to local peace pact with communities,” the source who does not want to be named told PRNigeria. 

Conclusion: Findings by PRNigeria show that the other Baleri (Kachalla) captured by Nigerien troops is different from the most deadly Baleri (Fakai), whom the notorious Bello Turji referred to as his boss in this video and who is notorious for many criminal activities across the North West.

PRNigeria, therefore, concludes that it is true that Kachalla Baleri captured in Niger is different from the Wanted Baleri Fakai in Nigeria.

By PRNigeria