Starting in 2011, the insecurity remaining from the conflict between the Fulani and Hausa ethnic groups quickly allowed other criminal and jihadist elements to form in the region.

Environmental decline and the scarcity of water and arable land led to communities competing viciously for those limited resources.

Unemployment, large-scale poverty, and weak local government have allowed for a steady stream of desperate people turning to criminal activity to earn a living.

Underequipped local and federal forces, coupled with the harsh terrain, make offensive actions into the forest dangerous and susceptible to ambushes and attacks.

Kachalla's gang directly controls the villages of Dandalla, Madada and Gobirawa Kwacha, from where he launched attacks on Dansadau and other neighboring communities.

The air component of Nigeria's Operation Whirl Punch was notified shortly after, and its aircraft scrambled to protect troops under attack.

[44] Halilu has become one of Nigeria's most dreaded bandits, having built a formidable militia of young men and stockpiling weapons.

and a “good number of his fighters” during a military operation in Mayanchi village, in the Maru local government area of Zamfara State.

Kachalla Turji then attacked the villages of Kurya, Keta, Kware, Badarawa, Marisuwa and Maberaya, killing 42, abducting 150 and burning 338 houses.

On 23 January 2021, Karami was injured during a clash with a rival group headed by Mani Na Saleh Mai Dan Doki over the control of guns, ammunition and stolen cattle.

Yankuzo's gang has carried out a number of attacks, including the killing 52 people in Kadisau village in revenge for the arrest of his son on 9 June 2020.

[12] He was declared wanted after his gang members confessed to the kidnapping of innocent villagers, killing of women and rustling of more than hundreds of cattle.

[58] Bello Turji Kachalla is the leader of a bandits and kidnappers gang that operates in the Zamfara and Sokoto states.

[61] He is notorious and ruthless as shown by him refusing to accept ransom after he kidnapped the father of the Zamafara House of Assembly speaker which eventually led to the elderly man's unfortunate demise.

According to lecturer Dr. Murtala, Turji's group members are from an influential family, some of who include Umaru Nagona, Mallam Ina Manara, and Bello Kagara.

The operation was carried out by the 223 armored battalion of the 1 Mechanised Division[66][67] and targeted bandit groups in the Dansadau Forest.

In the days before the announcement, convoys carried new military equipment into the Zamfara state, including tanks and armoured fighting vehicles.

On 5 June 2020, the Nigerian military launched Operation Accord, which established a joint task force of vigilantes and troops of the 312 Artillery Regiment.

At least 100 bandits were killed and over 200 were injured according to a military officer involved in the operation, though the exact number of casualties was not confirmed.