Three suspected bandits and 11 members of a local vigilante group have been killed in a violent clash involving communities and repentant bandits in Jibia LGA of Katsina state.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, reported that the incident occurred on Tuesday following the collapse of a peace deal between residents of Falale and Kadobe villages and a group of repentant bandits operating in the area.
The violence is believed to have been triggered by a breakdown in trust between the communities and the repentant bandits, amid ongoing efforts by the state government to pursue non-kinetic approaches to tackling insecurity in parts of the state.
Security sources told Makama that the confrontation began around 12:00 pm, when tensions escalated into a fierce exchange, resulting in the killing of three of the bandits.
“The development, however, triggered a swift reprisal attack by the armed group, resulting in the deaths of 11 vigilante members drawn from the affected communities.
“The Katsina State Police Command confirmed the incident, noting that security operatives were immediately deployed to the scene upon receipt of the report.
“Similarly, a joint team of the troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA, police and other security agencies engaged community leaders and stakeholders to de-escalate the situation and prevent further violence,” Makama reported.
The publication added that normalcy has since been restored in the area, while investigations into the incident have commenced.