Security Forces Kill 18 Bandits, Recover Arms, 96 Livestock in Katsina
Security forces comprising hunters, Community Watch Corps members and local vigilantes have killed 18 suspected bandits during an intelligence-led operation in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The operation, conducted at about 1 a.m. on Monday, September 21, 2026, targeted an armed group allegedly planning to abduct residents for ransom, according to the Katsina State Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.
The ministry, in a statement, said the security personnel laid an ambush at Gidan Iyado, Kakumi Ward, following credible intelligence on the planned attack.
It said the operatives engaged the suspected bandits in a gun battle, resulting in the deaths of 18 members of the group.
Read Also:
The ministry identified the alleged leader of the gang as Alhaji Musa Duki, whom it described as a former school headmaster who later became a bandit kingpin operating from Mununu Forest in Faskari Local Government Area.
Recovered items included one G3 rifle, two AK-47 rifles, 14 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition and three motorcycles.
The security forces also recovered 96 livestock comprising two cows and 94 sheep, suspected to have been rustled.
According to the ministry, no casualty was recorded among the security personnel during the operation.
It added that a covert operation was underway to track down Duki and dismantle his criminal network.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasir Mua’zu, commended the hunters, Community Watch Corps members and vigilantes for their contribution to the successful operation.
Mua’zu urged residents to sustain the provision of timely and credible intelligence to security agencies to support ongoing efforts to curb banditry across the state.
By PRNigeria
