A deadly clash between two armed bandit leaders has left one dead in Matsuki village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, further heightening tension in the already troubled area.
The incident occurred at about 4:45 p.m. on Monday when a notorious bandit kingpin, Kachalla Alti, reportedly shot and killed his fellow gang leader, Dankarami Usaini, in what residents described as a supremacy battle.
Dankarami, 40, a native of Matsuki, had been operating from the Dangajeru forest for several years. He was known for harassing villagers, extorting money from them, and attacking those who resisted. According to local sources, he was in the village to collect levies on behalf of Kachalla Alti, who is said to be the younger brother of well-known armed gang leader, Adamu Alero.
However, residents had reportedly complained to Alti about Dankarami’s increasing harassment and violent behaviour. In response, Alti and his gang stormed the village and shot Dankarami dead on the spot.
Following the killing, panic spread across Matsuki, with many residents fleeing to nearby communities for fear of reprisal attacks by Dankarami’s loyalists.
A local source, Makama, told reporters that tension remains high in the area. “Sporadic gunshots have been heard from nearby forest routes since the killing,” he said.
Zamfara State has been one of the hardest-hit states in Nigeria’s ongoing banditry crisis, with communities in Tsafe, Maru, Zurmi, and other LGAs regularly facing attacks, kidnappings, and violent clashes between armed groups. Residents continue to call for stronger security presence and lasting government intervention.