More than 40 suspected bandits, including eight senior commanders, were reportedly killed after local hunters, the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC) and troops of the Nigerian Army’s 17 Brigade repelled a major attack on Guga Village in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State on Sunday.
Security sources said the attack began around 5:40 p.m. on July 26, 2026, when over 200 heavily armed bandits invaded the community in what was described as a coordinated reprisal operation.
The attackers were said to be led by notorious bandit leader Idi Abasu Aiki and supported by fighters linked to the Ado Aleru criminal network operating from neighboring Zamfara State.
Reports indicated that the gunmen planned to overpower local hunters and KSCWC operatives protecting the area before extending the assault to Bakori town and nearby communities.
Acting on intelligence received ahead of the attack, security forces launched a coordinated response that led to a fierce gun battle. The attackers were eventually forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses.
Follow-up intelligence reportedly confirmed that 40 bandits were killed, including eight top commanders of the network.
One of those reportedly killed was Iliya Mai Rasha, a commander allegedly linked to several deadly attacks in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Sources said he joined the operation at Aiki’s invitation.
Aiki himself was said to have sustained serious gunshot wounds, although his condition could not be independently verified.
The latest clash came weeks after another confrontation on July 7, 2026, at Dawan Laila Village, where the same network reportedly suffered significant casualties.
During Sunday’s operation, five members of the hunters’ team were killed after they were caught outside the main frontline while attending to personal errands.
The Katsina State Government confirmed the incident and described the slain hunters as courageous patriots who died defending their communities. The government also extended condolences to their families.
Authorities said clearance operations have begun in the area to recover weapons and other equipment abandoned by the fleeing bandits, while surveillance has been intensified to prevent further attacks.
Officials added that normalcy has been restored in Guga and surrounding communities and reaffirmed their commitment to sustained joint security operations across the state.
In a related development, troops of the 17 Brigade Quick Reaction Force, working with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), recovered 126 rustled animals — 83 cows and 43 sheep — after ambushing suspected terrorists moving the livestock through Yankwani Village in Bakori LGA around 6:00 a.m. on July 26.
The suspects reportedly fled into the bush on sighting the troops, abandoning the animals, which were later handed over to the Chairman of the Bakori Peace Keeping Committee, Alhaji Tijjani Mohammed, for identification and return to their owners.
Military sources said the operation was successful and recorded no casualties among security personnel.
Also on Sunday night, troops of the 17 Brigade, in collaboration with the KSCWC, rescued a kidnapped woman in Karkata Village, Charanchi Local Government Area, after receiving a distress call at about 11:22 p.m.
The troops engaged the abductors before reaching the village, forcing them to abandon the victim and flee. The woman was later reunited with her family.
No security personnel were killed in the rescue operation, while casualties among the fleeing bandits could not be immediately confirmed.
