Over 40 Bandits, 8 Commanders Killed as Security Forces Repel Katsina Attack

A combined team of local hunters, the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC), and troops of the Nigerian Army’s 17 Brigade successfully repelled a large-scale bandit attack on Guga Village in Bakori Local Government Area, Katsina State, killing more than 40 suspected bandits, including eight senior commanders, in a fierce gun battle that lasted several hours.

The attack occurred at about 5:40 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, 2026, when more than 200 heavily armed bandits stormed the community in what security officials described as a coordinated reprisal assault. 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 security reports, intelligence gathered before the assault indicated that the gunmen had planned to overwhelm local hunters and KSCWC operatives guarding the area before extending the offensive to Bakori town and surrounding communities. Acting on prior intelligence, security operatives mounted a coordinated response that triggered a fierce gun battle, forcing the attackers to retreat after suffering heavy casualties. Security assessments confirmed that more than 40 suspected 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 Katsina State Government confirmed the success, describing it as a significant breakthrough in the state’s ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity.

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One of those killed was identified as Iliya Mai Rasha, a commander linked to several deadly attacks, kidnappings and other violent crimes in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, who sources said had joined the assault at Aiki’s invitation. His killing is considered a significant operational success, as he had long been a target of security forces. Sources further disclosed that Idi Abasu Aiki sustained life-threatening gunshot wounds during the exchange. His fate could not be independently verified as of the time of filing reports, but security sources described his injuries as severe.

Despite the success, the operation came at a cost. The Katsina State Government confirmed that five members of the hunters’ team were killed 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. One of the fallen hunters was identified as Idris Ibrahim Babawo.

Security operatives have since commenced clearance operations in the affected area to recover abandoned weapons and other items left behind by the fleeing bandits, while surveillance has been intensified to prevent further attacks. Authorities confirmed that normalcy has been restored to Guga and surrounding communities, reaffirming their commitment to sustained joint security operations across the state. The latest operation followed an earlier confrontation on July 7 at Dawan Laila Village, where the same criminal network reportedly suffered significant losses during an engagement with local security volunteers.

In a related development, troops of the 17 Brigade Quick Reaction Force (QRF), working with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), recovered 126 rustled livestock, comprising 83 cows and 43 sheep, after ambushing suspected terrorists driving the animals through Yankwani Village in Bakori LGA at about 6 a.m. on July 26. The suspects fled into the bush on sighting troops, abandoning the livestock, which were handed over to the Chairman of the Bakori Peace Keeping Committee for identification and return to their owners. Also, troops of the 17 Brigade, in collaboration with the KSCWC, rescued a kidnapped woman in Karkata Village, Charanchi Local Government Area, at about 11:22 p.m. on Sunday, after a distress call reached troops at Forward Operating Base Radda. The team engaged the abductors, forcing them to abandon the victim and flee. The woman was reunited with her family.

Over 40 Bandits, 8 Commanders Killed as Security Forces Repel Katsina Attack

Gunmen Kill 5 Siblings, 25 Others in Midnight Attack on Kaduna Community

At least 30 people, including five siblings from the same family, were killed when armed gunmen invaded Naridon community in Kamaru Chawai Ward of Kauru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, in a brutal attack that has drawn widespread condemnation from Amnesty International, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and civil society groups.

The attack, which occurred around 12:35 a.m. on Monday, July 27, 2026, saw heavily armed assailants storm the community with sophisticated weapons, shooting sporadically and setting homes and shops ablaze. Security personnel arrived hours after the attackers had fled the scene, leaving residents to bury their dead.

The five siblings from the Emmanuel family were identified as Deborah Emmanuel, Friday Emmanuel, Yusuf Emmanuel, Yunana Emmanuel and Irimiya Emmanuel. Their parents escaped the attack and later returned to the community to discover the devastating loss of all five of their children. A former youth leader in the area, Comrade Friday Ango, who confirmed the incident, said: “From the report I received, 24 people have been confirmed dead. The number could rise later, but for now, the confirmed death toll is 24. One Emmanuel in the community lost five children in the incident. Only he and his wife escaped.”

Gunmen Kill 5 Siblings, 25 Others in Midnight Attack on Kaduna Community

Amnesty International, which strongly condemned the attack, described it as “perhaps one of the deadliest attacks on southern Kaduna villages.” The organisation said it obtained images showing “entire families locked up and slaughtered inside their bedrooms. Children had their throats slit and their heads left with massive cuts. There was blood on beds, in kitchens and on the trails of those bleeding while trying to escape.” Community leader Yunusa Babados recounted a chilling account of the brutality: “In one family, they killed six children and told the parents: ‘We will spare you and kill all your children’.” Sources confirmed that the victims included women, children and elderly residents. The attack lasted approximately three hours, with the gunmen moving from house to house. Resident Barnabas Musa told AFP the community gathered at least 30 dead bodies, including women and children. Rubean James, another resident, said his family managed to escape through a back door into the bush and later confirmed that 31 people had been killed.

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There is disagreement among local leaders about the cause of the attack. Ango rejected reports attributing it to farmer-herder clashes, insisting that the people of Naridon were attacked without provocation. According to him, communities in Kauru LGA had suffered similar attacks for years and deserved better protection from security agencies. However, former Chairman of Kauru LGA, Musa Waziri, cautioned against immediate conclusions. He noted that Naridon is a border community with Plateau State, an area that has experienced recurring communal tensions. “When there is a clash between farmers and herders on the Plateau side, it sometimes affects our communities as well, leading to retaliatory attacks here,” he said.

Governor Uba Sani condemned the killings and directed the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) to provide immediate relief and humanitarian support to affected families. The government also reaffirmed its commitment to working with Plateau State Government, security agencies and traditional institutions to strengthen security cooperation along the border. The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) condemned the attack and called on the Kaduna State Police Command to urgently tackle what it described as worsening insecurity across Southern Kaduna. The union called for the deployment of Mobile Police and counter-terrorism units to vulnerable communities and intensified intelligence-led operations. Amnesty International blamed the continued violence on what it described as the failure of authorities to protect vulnerable communities and prosecute those responsible. “The spate of these killings is evidence of the failure of authorities to protect the people. The inability of authorities to bring attackers to justice is fueling impunity,” the organisation stated. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the killings as unacceptable, noting that “every life lost is a painful indictment of a government that has repeatedly promised security but continues to preside over an expanding landscape of bloodshed.”

The attack came barely two weeks after 19 Northern States Governors launched the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund (NNSTF) and pledged a monthly contribution of N1 billion to strengthen regional security coordination. The Naridon community had reportedly suffered a similar attack around the same time last year. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Gunmen Kill 5 Siblings, 25 Others in Midnight Attack on Kaduna Community

Kano Woman Arrested for Severing Boyfriend’s Manhood Over Plan to Marry Another

The Kano State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old woman, Maimunatu Idris, for allegedly attacking her boyfriend with a knife and severing his genitals at Durbar Hotel in the Badawa area of Kano. The suspect, who hails from Maigatari Local Government Area in Jigawa State, reportedly carried out the attack after discovering her boyfriend’s plan to marry another woman.

Maimunatu Idris

The incident occurred on Monday, July 27, 2026, at about 12:50 p.m., when hotel management alerted the police to the violent attack. Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying the Divisional Police Officer of Badawa Division promptly led a team of detectives to the scene, where the suspect was arrested and the knife allegedly used in the attack was recovered as an exhibit.

The police spokesperson stated that preliminary investigations indicate the suspect attacked her boyfriend with a sharp knife after learning of his intention to marry another woman. “Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer led a team of detectives to the scene. The suspect was arrested and the weapon recovered as exhibit. The victim was rushed to Abubakar Imam Urology Hospital where he is currently receiving medical care. Investigation is ongoing,” Kiyawa said.

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Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, strongly condemned the attack, describing violence as an unacceptable response to personal disagreements. He warned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands under any guise, assuring residents that the Command would conduct a diligent, transparent and thorough investigation, and that anyone found culpable would be arraigned in court in accordance with the law. “The Nigeria Police Force is constitutionally empowered to investigate, arrest and prosecute offenders through due process. Members of the public should desist from taking the law into their own hands under any guise,” the police commissioner said.

An eyewitness who works as a security personnel near the hotel told Daily Trust that the suspect lured her boyfriend to lodge at the hotel after learning of his plan to end the relationship. “She asked him to lodge at the hotel so they could stay together. It was there she used the opportunity to cut his manhood,” the eyewitness said. He added that the suspect was immediately apprehended and handed over to the police, while the victim was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

The victim’s identity has not been disclosed by the police, and he is currently receiving medical care at Abubakar Imam Urology Hospital. Police said the suspect is in custody as investigations continue to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident. The Kano incident is among two separate violent cases recorded in the state, with the police also arresting three suspects over the alleged mob killing of a 30-year-old man, Abubakar Auwal, in the Sheka area of Kano following accusations that he had been involved in a relationship with a married woman.

Kano Woman Arrested for Severing Boyfriend’s Manhood Over Plan to Marry Another