Written By Isma’il Adamu; Edited By Godwin Duru
Hunters, local vigilante and members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps have repelled a major attack by bandits in Bakori local government area of the state, resulting in the killing of more than 40 bandits including eight of their top commanders.
The face-off ensued at the outskirts of Guga village on Sunday evening when over 200 heavily armed bandits led by notorious warlord, Idi Abasu Aiki, launched a reprisal attack on the village, to settle scores with residents over an earlier operation on July 7.
A statement signed by the state Commissioner for Internal Security, Nasir Danmusa, notes that the attack was repelled following an intelligence report obtained by Security Operatives on a plan to dislodge the local hunters and the community watch corps guarding the area.
“Subsequently, security personnel deployed prompt and coordinated countermeasures, leading to a fierce confrontation that forced the attackers to retreat after suffering 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. The notorious bandit leader Idi Abasu Aiki also sustained life-threatening gunshot injuries during the encounter”, the statement explains.
It also disclosed that security operatives have commenced clearance operations in the area to recover abandoned weapons and other items left behind by the fleeing bandits while surveillance has been intensified to prevent further security threats.
The state government also condoled with the families of five members of the local hunters who were killed during the encounter, and urged members of communities to provide credible intelligence to security agencies deployed to protect their communities.
