Over 40 bandits killed as security forces repel attack on Katsina community
By Zagazola Makama
More than 40 suspected bandits were killed on Sunday after a combined team of local hunters and the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC) repelled a large-scale attack on Guga Village in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred at about 5:40 p.m. on July 26 when over 200 heavily armed bandits stormed the community in what security officials described as a coordinated reprisal attack.
The attackers were reportedly led by notorious bandit kingpin Idi Abasu Aiki and reinforced by fighters linked to the Ado Aleru criminal network operating from neighbouring Zamfara State.
According to intelligence reports, the armed groups had planned to overwhelm local hunters and KSCWC operatives protecting the area before extending the assault to Bakori town and nearby communities.
However, security operatives, acting on prior intelligence, mounted a coordinated response that resulted in a fierce gun battle, forcing the attackers to retreat after suffering heavy casualties.
Security assessments indicated that more than 40 bandits were neutralised during the confrontation, while follow-up intelligence confirmed that about eight senior commanders of the criminal network were among those killed.
The sources further disclosed that Idi Abasu Aiki sustained what were described as life-threatening gunshot injuries during the exchange of fire, although his fate could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.
The operation followed an earlier clash on July 7 at Dawan Laila Village, where the same criminal network reportedly suffered significant losses during an engagement with local security volunteers.
Meanwhile, clearance operations have commenced in the affected area to recover weapons and other equipment abandoned by the fleeing bandits, while surveillance has been intensified to forestall further attacks.
The Katsina State Government also confirmed that five members of the hunters’ team lost their lives during the operation after they were caught outside the frontline while attending to personal shopping activities.
The government described the slain hunters as courageous patriots who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defence of their communities and extended condolences to their families.
Authorities said normalcy has since been restored to Guga and surrounding communities, reaffirming their commitment to sustained joint security operations to protect lives and property across the state.
