Kinshasa, April 17, 2025 A major turning point has been reached in the fight against armed groups operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The notorious Colonel Hakizimana Binyenzi, 43 years old, was captured yesterday around 2:20 p.m. by Congolese security forces in Majengo, a neighborhood in Nyiragongo Territory, just a few kilometers from the city of Goma. As a key operational leader of the Nyatura network, affiliated with the Wazalendo, he was a central figure in the informal security setup of the region
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His arrest is seen as a thunderbolt for the militia ranks, especially as it comes at a time when the Alliance of Congolese Forces (AFC) is making significant advances on the ground. Colonel Binyenzi, known for his brutality, his influence over the militia, and his close ties to illicit networks (arms, gold, coltan), had been under surveillance by intelligence services for several months.
Binyenzi’ s arrest deals a heavy blow to the Nyatura militia, a group primarily composed of members from the Hutu community, active for years in North Kivu. While often portrayed as a community self-defense group, Nyatura has been accused of numerous atrocities against civilians: looting, kidnappings, sexual violence, and targeted assassinations.
But the arrest is just one part of the broader strategy. Authorities now aim to capture General Dominique Ndaruhutse, the top leader of the group, who remains on the run. According to sources, he may have taken refuge in a remote area between Masisi and the Rwandan border. Capturing him would symbolize a major step in dismantling the Nyatura structure and send a strong message to all remaining warlords.
These recent developments further tarnish the security legacy of former President Félix Tshisekedi, who has been accused by analysts of allowing, or even encouraging, the creation of so-called “patriotic” or “self-defense” groups to counter the M23 and other rebellions. Thousands of weapons are said to have been handed out under his leadership a strategy that has now backfired on the state itself.
The so-called “free zones” of the DRC, where the central government has long struggled to assert control, are now seeing the progressive collapse of the militia system. The AFC, a new military actor born from a coalition of loyalist forces, is intensifying operations to reclaim full territorial control. Their mission: disarm all criminal factions, protect the civilian population, and restore a functioning civil administration.
For residents of Majengo, the arrest brings relief, but also fear. “We’ve seen armed men roam freely for years, spreading terror. Binyenzi’ s arrest gives us hope, but we fear retaliation,” confided a local teacher who wished to remain anonymous.
Police and army units have been deployed to sensitive areas to prevent any attempt to free the colonel or reorganize the Nyatura network. Meanwhile, security forces continue search operations for the hidden weapons distributed over the past few years. “We will recover all of them,” an AFC spokesperson declared.
The arrest of Colonel Hakizimana Binyenzi marks a critical step in the pacification of North Kivu. But it’s just the beginning. The challenges remain immense: dismantling criminal networks, securing the population, rebuilding trust, and restoring the rule of law in a region long ruled by the gun.
