Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest

Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest

KATSINA STATE – A notorious bandit leader identified as Kachalla Bello has reportedly been killed during a fierce gun battle between rival armed groups in a forest in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Bello was reportedly among those killed when rival bandit factions engaged in a deadly confrontation on Tuesday evening, November 10, 2026, amid an apparent struggle for territorial control.

According to local sources and counter-insurgency reports, the clash involved heavy exchanges of gunfire, leaving several fighters dead.

The late bandit leader was reportedly notorious for terrorising farming communities across parts of Katsina State through attacks, abductions and other criminal activities.

Beyond kidnapping for ransom, Bello was accused of subjecting some of his victims to forced labour on farmlands allegedly belonging to him.

Local accounts indicated that he frequently abducted farmers while they were working on their farms and compelled them to work on his farmland before considering their release.

His alleged activities reportedly contributed to insecurity, economic hardship and displacement among residents of affected communities, particularly farmers who depended on agriculture for their livelihoods.

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However, the Katsina State Police Command had yet to officially confirm Bello’s reported death as of the time of filing this report.

The Command’s spokesperson, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, reportedly said he was making efforts to verify the incident and establish the exact location of the alleged confrontation.

He explained that security personnel were working to identify the location of the clash and liaise with the relevant Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) for further investigation.

Meanwhile, security observers have repeatedly identified rivalries and internal disputes among armed criminal groups as factors contributing to violent confrontations within bandit networks operating across Nigeria’s North-West region.

The circumstances surrounding Bello’s reported death, including the number of casualties recorded during the encounter, remain unclear.

Further details are expected as security agencies work to establish what happened.

Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest