Notorious bandit commander Iliya Mai Rasha killed in Guga battle as death toll among attackers rises

By Zagazola Makama

One of the notorious bandit commanders neutralised during Sunday’s fierce gun battle between security forces and armed bandits in Guga Village, Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State, has been identified as Iliya Mai Rasha, a notorious criminal linked to several deadly attacks in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that Mai Rasha was among the senior bandit commanders who joined the assault on Guga at the invitation of notorious kingpin Idi Abasu Aiki.

The sources said the attack, which occurred at about 5:40 p.m. on July 26, involved more than 200 heavily armed bandits drawn from criminal networks operating across Katsina and neighbouring Zamfara State.

However, a combined force of local hunters, the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC), and troops of the Nigerian Army’s 17 Brigade mounted a coordinated response, engaging the attackers in a prolonged gun battle that forced them to retreat with heavy losses.

Security sources said more than 40 bandits were neutralised during the encounter, including at least eight senior commanders, while Idi Abasu Aiki reportedly sustained life-threatening gunshot wounds.

The killing of Iliya Mai Rasha is considered a significant operational success, as he had long been linked to violent attacks, kidnappings and other criminal activities in Tsafe and adjoining communities in Zamfara State.

The operation, according to the sources, has dealt a major blow to the criminal network operating across the Katsina–Zamfara axis, with follow-up clearance operations continuing to recover abandoned weapons and pursue fleeing bandits.

Five members of the hunters’ team were, however, killed during the operation after they were caught outside the frontline, highlighting the heavy sacrifice made by local security volunteers in defending their communities. Military authorities and the Katsina State Government have continued to commend the courage of the troops, hunters and community watch personnel who repelled the attack and restored calm to the affected area.