Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA (JTF NW OPFY), rescued six kidnapped victims during separate operations in Kaduna and Katsina States on 17 September 2026.
Media Information Officer, Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, confirmed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Friday in Katsina
Lt. Col. Danja said: In Kaduna State, troops of Sector 1 OPFY, while acting on intelligence on a kidnapping incident in Igabi Local Government Area, made contact with suspected terrorists moving some kidnapped victims.
“On sighting the troops, the terrorists abandoned the victims and fled in disarray. Troops rescued three victims, identified as Enock Hussaini, Abba Dauda and Kalif Haruna. The victims were confirmed to have been abducted by terrorists at Gidan Gulbi Village on 11 September 2026.
“They were subsequently debriefed and reunited with their families, while troops continued to dominate the general area.
“Similarly, in Katsina State, troops of Sector 2 responded to a distress call concerning the abduction of civilians along the Dandume-Damari axis in Dandume Local Government Area.
“Troops swiftly mobilised to the area and made contact with the terrorists, engaging them with overwhelming firepower and forcing them to flee into the surrounding bushes, abandoning their victims.
According to him, the troops pursued the fleeing terrorists and subsequently rescued three kidnapped victims, identified as Abubakar Abdulkadir, aged 25; Mansir Idris, aged 26; and Abubakar Aliyu, aged 21.
He said troops also recovered a black Golf vehicle belonging to the victims. The victims were later escorted and released to continue their journey.
The military spokesman said the latest successes underscored the continued efforts of Operation FANSAN YAMMA to secure innocent civilians, disrupt terrorist activities and deny them freedom of action across the Joint Operations Area.
The Joint Task Force appreciated members of the public for their continued support and urges them to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the nearest security agency.