Armed bandit factions in Katsina State have been thrown into a heated power battle, following the alleged murder of a former Major General, Rabe Abubakar in captivity, leading a suspected commander linked to the incident, Kachalla Muhammadu, to go into hiding.
Security sources and local intelligence reports have it that Muhammadu is now being chased by not just the Nigerian security authorities but competing bandit factions following an alleged instruction by legendary bandit kingpin, Ado Aleru, ordering his capture.
The incident has intensified the strain within the criminal networks across the North-West as the woodlands that cover Matazu and Musawa Local Government Areas are said to have turned into the epicentre of a fierce manhunt and bloody encounters between opposing organisations.
Sources close to the issue stated fighters loyal to Aleru have begun operations to seek down Muhammadu and his allies, turning internal differences in the bandit hierarchy into open conflict.
Major General Rabe Abubakar (rtd), former Director of Defence Information, who was kidnapped alongside his wife in Katsina State, was reported dead, and the crisis comes on the heels of this development. The aid worker’s death in captivity has generated considerable indignation across the country and revived calls for more action against armed groups terrorising populations in the region.
The incident has created rifts among numerous bandit commanders, leading to fights along forest trails, hideouts and operational corridors frequented by the criminal gangs, local sources stated.
Some impacted towns have allegedly observed a temporary lull in attacks as competing factions turn their guns on each other to settle scores. But security experts warn the reprieve may be short lived.
Infighting can weaken criminal groups and impede their activities, analysts say, but such fractures seldom lead to sustainable peace without persistent security pressure.
But observers say the ongoing feud is a strategic opportunity for the military and other security agencies to scale up operations against bandit enclaves, dismantle logistics networks and target key commanders responsible for years of violence, kidnappings and killings across the North-West.
“There is a chance to use the differences between the groups but security forces must act decisively,” said a security analyst familiar with the region’s security dynamics.
Residents and community leaders have continued to demand for coordinated military efforts to prevent the conflict from devolving into renewed bloodshed that could spill over into civilian towns.
As the hunt for Muhammadu gathers momentum, security authorities are anticipated to keep a tight eye on events, fearing that the war of attrition between the competing factions will change the security scenario in Katsina and adjacent states.
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