Katsina security outfit kills over 40 bandits, repels attack

Joint security operatives comprising local hunters and the Katsina State Community Watch Corps have repelled a large-scale bandit attack on Guga Village in Bakori Local Government Area, killing more than 40 armed bandits and reportedly eliminating several of their top commanders.

The Katsina State Government disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mu’azu.

According to the statement, the attack occurred at about 5:40 p.m. on Sunday when more than 200 heavily armed bandits, led by the notorious kingpin, Idi Abasu Aiki, and supported by members of the Ado Aleru group from neighbouring Zamfara State, invaded Guga Village in what was described as a reprisal attack.

The commissioner said intelligence gathered before the attack revealed that the bandits planned to dislodge local hunters and the Community Watch Corps protecting communities in the area before launching coordinated assaults on Bakori town and nearby villages.

However, he said the government’s sustained intelligence gathering and surveillance enabled security operatives to mount a swift and coordinated response, leading to a fierce gun battle that forced the attackers to retreat with heavy casualties.

“More than 40 bandits were neutralised during the operation, while follow-up intelligence confirmed that about eight senior commanders of the criminal group were eliminated,” Mu’azu said.

He added that the notorious bandit leader, Idi Abasu Aiki, was believed to have sustained life-threatening gunshot injuries during the encounter.

Mu’azu noted that the latest operation followed an earlier security success recorded on July 7, 2026, at Dawan Laila Village in Bakori Local Government Area, where the same criminal network suffered heavy losses at the hands of the hunters and the Community Watch Corps.

“The latest attack was a desperate attempt by the bandits to regain lost ground and undermine the community-based security architecture established by the Katsina State Government,” he stated.

The commissioner disclosed that security personnel had commenced clearance operations to recover abandoned weapons and other items left behind by the fleeing criminals, while surveillance had been intensified to forestall further attacks.

Despite the victory, the government expressed grief over the death of five members of the hunters’ team, who were fatally shot after they were caught outside the frontline while attending to personal shopping activities during the operation.

“These courageous patriots paid the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our communities. I, on behalf of the government and the people of Katsina State, condole with the families of the fallen hunters,” Mu’azu said.

He assured residents that normalcy had been restored to the affected communities and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to sustaining collaborative security operations to safeguard lives and property across Katsina State.