What was supposed to be a revenge attack by armed bandits in Katsina State ended in disaster for the criminal gang after operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), working with local vigilantes and specially trained hunters, reportedly killed notorious bandit leader Idi Abasu Aiki and more than 60 of his fighters in a carefully planned operation.

The dramatic clash took place in Bakori Local Government Area, where security sources said Aiki and his men had mobilised for a major attack on communities accused of supporting local security groups fighting banditry in the area.

According to sources familiar with the operation, the gang, made up of more than 200 heavily armed fighters, had stormed Guga village with plans to unleash fresh violence on nearby communities.

The attackers were said to have received support from bandits linked to notorious Zamfara-based kingpin Ado Aleru, as they prepared what security officials described as a retaliatory mission.

A source explained that the planned assault was connected to an earlier confrontation in Dawan Laila village, also in Bakori LGA, where local hunters reportedly inflicted heavy losses on bandit groups last month.

The bandits, angered by the setback, were allegedly seeking revenge and intended to dismantle the community defence structures protecting villages in the area before launching wider attacks.

But unknown to them, security operatives had already received intelligence about their movements.

"The bandits thought they were heading for an easy operation, but they walked into a trap," a security source said.

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According to the source, DSS operatives had been monitoring the group's activities and coordinated a joint operation with community vigilantes and trained hunters ahead of the planned attack.

When the armed men arrived, they were met with fierce resistance.

By the time the gun battle ended, more than 60 suspected bandits had been killed, including Idi Abasu Aiki and at least 14 senior commanders within his network.

The victory, however, came at a cost. Four members of the Katsina State Community Vigilantes and the specially trained hunters who took part in the operation also lost their lives during the confrontation.

Following the clash, security operatives launched a mop-up operation across the area, combing nearby locations for fleeing suspects and recovering weapons and other items abandoned by the bandits.

Security sources described the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against banditry in Katsina and neighbouring states, noting that Aiki had long been linked to a series of deadly attacks across communities in Katsina and Zamfara.

While authorities are yet to release an official statement, the operation is already being seen as one of the most significant blows dealt to armed bandit groups in the region in recent times.