A joint task force reportedly engaged notorious bandits in a fierce gun battle on Wednesday to eject them from their newly discovered hideout in Yar Tepa, Birdigau, situated between Malumfashi and Kankara LGA, Katsina State.
A security source told OsunDailyNG that the clash was the aftermath of intelligence reports that revealed that the bandits, led by the notorious kingpins Dankarami and Barbaru, had established Yar Tepa as their new settlement, abandoning their traditional bush operations.
This shift in strategy enabled them to plot and launch recent attacks, causing havoc in the surrounding communities.
The mission to expel the bandits from Yar Tepa, however, led to a tragic clash during which Sanusi Hassan, the Katsina Community Watch Commander for Kankara LGA, four local vigilantes and two young men from Birdigau ‘K’ and Gidan Gwanji, lost their lives.
On the bandits’ side, the casualties were substantial, with over 20 reported dead, the source stated. According to him, Sanusi’s courageous efforts significantly contributed to the toll on the criminal group.
In the aftermath of the confrontation, the source said: “An air raid targeted the bandits who sought refuge at Dinary Primary School in Yargoje village. The strike disrupted their attempt to regroup and recover the remains of their fallen comrades.”
