Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have killed two terrorists, rescued a kidnapped victim, arrested eight suspected terrorist collaborators and recovered 110 rustled cattle during coordinated operations across Kaduna and Zamfara states.
The Media Information Officer of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, disclosed this in a statement, saying the operations were conducted between June 27 and 28 as part of sustained efforts to dismantle terrorist and bandit networks operating across the North-West.
According to the statement, troops of Sector 1, in collaboration with members of the Vigilante Group, encountered terrorists transporting kidnapped victims on motorcycles during fighting patrols in Giwa and Kaduna North Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.
A gun battle ensued, forcing the terrorists to abandon two motorcycles and flee into the bush. One kidnapped victim was rescued alive, while the body of another victim, who had been killed by the terrorists, was recovered.
Later on June 27, troops responded to a distress call following a terrorist attack on Dariya Village in Giwa Local Government Area, where one resident was killed and three others injured before security personnel arrived.
The troops immediately pursued the attackers and intercepted them as they attempted to escape on motorcycles. During the ensuing firefight, two terrorists were killed, while troops recovered one motorcycle, ammunition, charms and other personal effects.
In a separate operation in Zamfara State, troops of Sector 2, acting on credible intelligence, arrested two suspects at Magami in Gusau Local Government Area. The military said the suspects were believed to have provided medical support to terrorist groups operating in the area.
Similarly, troops of Sector 1 arrested six additional suspects around Polewire Village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State after engaging fleeing terrorists in a firefight. The suspects, who were found under suspicious circumstances, are currently under investigation.
On June 28, troops, again working with members of the Vigilante Group, tracked cattle rustlers in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and laid a snap ambush along the suspects’ escape route at Ungwan Gora bush. Overwhelmed by the troops’ superior firepower, the rustlers abandoned 110 stolen cattle and fled. The livestock was recovered and subsequently handed over to its rightful owners.
Lieutenant Colonel Danja said the operations underscore Operation FANSAN YAMMA’s resolve to sustain offensive actions against terrorists and bandits across the North-West, while urging members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information.