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

Senate Defends Bus Preaching Bill Amid Public Outcry

The Senate has moved to calm public anger over the proposed N50,000 fine for preaching, hawking and trading inside commercial vehicles, clarifying that the provision is not a new ban on religious activities but a long-standing regulation that has been part of Nigerian law since 2007.

The clarification comes amid widespread outrage following the passage of the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes stiffer penalties for various traffic offences. The legislation sparked criticism from Christian bodies, opposition parties, civil society groups and members of the public, many of whom argued that criminalising bus preaching and hawking was insensitive amid rising unemployment and worsening economic hardship.

In a statement issued on Monday, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele clarified that the contentious provision had been widely misrepresented, insisting that the amendment neither introduced a fresh offence nor sought to prohibit preaching in public places. He explained that pursuant to Section 10(4) of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, 2007 and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR) 2012, preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle are already offences that have been part of the Act before the current amendment. “The Senate has duly noticed public concerns on the purported proscription of preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle under the ongoing amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, No. 22, 2007,” Bamidele said. “Entrenched as Item 36 in the Second Schedule of the Act, preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle are not new provisions in our legal system. The provisions have been part of the Act as far back as 2007. However, it is now listed as Item 49, Second Schedule of the Act.”

The Senate stressed that the legislation was strictly targeted at promoting road safety and protecting commuters from distractions that could endanger lives. “The bill, therefore, does not outlaw preaching on the streets as some interests have claimed in different fora. It is about the safety of commuters and other road users and not intended to undermine any religious activity in the public space,” Bamidele added. The upper chamber maintained that the provision has existed since the FRSC Establishment Act was enacted in 2007 and was not newly introduced by the current National Assembly. The Senate noted that the objective of the legislation is to prevent distractions capable of endangering passengers, drivers and other road users, and has nothing to do with restricting constitutionally guaranteed freedom of worship or freedom of expression.

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The Senate also dismissed reports linking the amendment to Bamidele, saying the legislation originated from the House of Representatives and was transmitted to the Senate for concurrence in line with constitutional requirements. “The bill is not an initiative of the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele. Rather, it is a concurrence bill first amended by the House of Representatives,” the statement read. The Senate noted that the amendment process is still ongoing and encouraged stakeholders with concerns to engage the appropriate legislative channels before the process is finalised. “In the spirit of democracy, stakeholders can channel their concerns to the appropriate institutions before the completion of the process,” Bamidele stated.

The clarification comes days after the Senate passed the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to strengthen road safety enforcement through stiffer penalties for traffic-related offences. The revised schedule of offences contains 52 traffic violations and their corresponding penalties, with lawmakers saying the amendments are intended to improve compliance with traffic regulations, strengthen the FRSC’s enforcement powers and enhance road safety nationwide. Apart from prescribing a N50,000 fine for anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles, the bill proposes a N50,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment or both for motorists who refuse to cooperate with FRSC officials conducting roadside breath tests based on reasonable suspicion. It also raises the penalty for driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating drugs from N5,000 to N100,000, with offenders facing up to two years’ imprisonment or both. Similarly, the proposed legislation increases the penalty for disobeying traffic lights, road signs, pavement markings and other traffic control devices to N100,000, while speed limit violations and reckless driving would also attract stiffer sanctions, including fines of N100,000 and, in some cases, custodial sentences.

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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), South-West region, has rejected the proposed ban on preaching inside commercial vehicles, warning that the provision could restrict citizens’ constitutional rights. In a statement issued by the South-West Chairman of CAN, Bishop Barnabas Akinsanya, the Christian body said the proposed legislation required careful review to ensure it did not infringe on citizens’ fundamental freedoms. “We acknowledged the Federal Government’s commitment to improving road safety and reducing avoidable road crashes across Nigeria. We support every genuine effort aimed at protecting lives and promoting responsible road use,” the statement read. “However, we respectfully express serious concerns regarding aspects of the proposed Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, particularly the provision prescribing sanctions for preaching in commercial buses and the outright prohibition of hawking in such vehicles.” CAN said prohibiting religious preaching without evidence that it poses a direct threat to public safety could create the impression of an unnecessary restriction on religious freedom and lead to avoidable public tension. The body also argued that many Nigerians depend on legitimate informal trading for their daily survival, and rather than adopting measures that may further worsen economic hardship, government should prioritise policies that create employment opportunities, reduce poverty, improve public transportation, strengthen security, and enhance the welfare of citizens. “We therefore respectfully appeal to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to withhold assent to the Bill in its present form and encourage further consultation with relevant stakeholders, including religious bodies, civil society organisations, legal experts, transport unions, and road safety professionals,” CAN stated.

In a contrasting position, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has defended the bill, identifying CAN as the sponsor of those who preach inside commercial buses. The Islamic human rights organization said CAN’s rejection of the bill is an admission of guilt and urged the Senate to forge ahead with the legislation. MURIC argued that one person’s rights should not rank over and above the rights of all other passengers, including the driver who must be allowed to concentrate. “We support the FRSC bill for two main reasons. Bus preaching distracts drivers thereby leading to accidents with the attendant deaths and injuries. Secondly, bus preaching constitutes conduct likely to cause breach of public peace,” MURIC Executive Director Professor Ishaq Akintola said. “Our lawmakers need to urgently attend to the FRSC bill in view of the high proliferation of road crashes in the country.”

Before Monday’s clarification, opposition parties had condemned the proposed penalties, arguing that criminalising hawking and preaching inside commercial vehicles was misplaced at a time many Nigerians were grappling with soaring inflation, unemployment and declining purchasing power. Party officials described the proposal as insensitive, urging the National Assembly to prioritise legislation that addresses the country’s economic challenges rather than imposing harsher penalties on struggling citizens. The bill is currently awaiting presidential assent, and the Senate has encouraged stakeholders with concerns to engage the appropriate legislative channels before the process is finalised.

Senate Defends Bus Preaching Bill Amid Public Outcry