A notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Bello, has reportedly been killed following a gun battle between rival armed groups in a forest in Faskari Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focusing on the Lake Chad region, reported that local sources said the confrontation took place on Tuesday evening, when rival bandit groups engaged in a fierce exchange of gunfire in the forest.
According to the publication, Bello was among those killed during the clash, although details surrounding the incident remained unclear.
Bello was reportedly accused of terrorising farming communities through kidnappings and forced labour.
Local sources told Makama that the bandit leader allegedly abducted residents from their farmlands and forced them to work on his farm before setting them free.
The publication noted that his reported death could bring relief to communities that had suffered years of intimidation and criminal activities linked to his group.
However, Makama said security authorities had yet to independently confirm the circumstances surrounding the reported killing.
The incident also underscores the persistent rivalry among armed groups operating in parts of Katsina State, where disputes over territory, resources and criminal operations have sometimes triggered deadly clashes.
Speaking with TheCable on Wednesday, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, spokesperson for the Katsina State Police Command, said he was unaware of the incident.
“I am not aware of the incident; I will make an enquiry and call you back,” he said.
When TheCable contacted Sadiq-Aliyu again three hours later, the police spokesperson said he was still trying to establish the precise location of the incident to enable him to reach the divisional police officer (DPO).
“I’m trying to find out, but I cannot pinpoint where. I know people. Can you give me the location of where they are so that I can contact the DPO? If I can get the exact location where the incident happened, I can contact the DPO. Let me find out,” he added.