Bandit kingpin Kachalla Mai Shayi and 12 of his followers were killed in an ambush by a rival gang in Zamfara State.
The deadly attack took place between the villages of Buroyi and Buzaya, near Sangerawa in the Bini district of Maru Local Government Area.
The incident was revealed by Zagazola Makama, a counterterrorism and insurgency expert in the Lake Chad Basin, in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday.
According to Makama, the ambush is believed to be part of an ongoing cycle of revenge attacks between rival bandit factions operating in the forested areas of Zamfara. Kachalla Mai Shayi was identified as a key lieutenant of the notorious bandit leader Kachalla Yellow Mai Balli Balli.
“The ambush appears to be part of an ongoing cycle of revenge attacks among rival bandit factions in the forested areas of Zamfara,” Makama wrote.
He further explained that the feud between the groups intensified after Kachalla Yellow Mai Bille killed Kachalla Nagala, leading to escalating violence among the gangs.
“The followers of the late Kachalla Nagala are now reportedly seeking to target Yellow Mai Bille, Sojan Zakwaui, and Yellon Emir in revenge for the death of their leader,” Makama added.
He added that the violent clashes between these rival factions have continued to claim the lives of bandits, including their leaders, further deepening the conflict in the region.
