Katsina: Army Rescues 14 Kidnap Victims in Sabuwa — Operation Fansan Yamma
Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation Fansan Yamma (OPFY), have rescued 14 people who were kidnapped in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The victims were rescued after troops engaged suspected bandits who were moving through the Madaci Forest with the kidnapped persons.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the Joint Task Force Public Information Officer, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, troops of Sector 2, Operation Fansan Yamma, launched the operation after receiving credible intelligence that suspected bandits were moving with kidnapped victims in the area.
Troops Engage Bandits in Gun Battle
The statement said the troops quickly mobilised after receiving the intelligence and moved to intercept the suspected bandits.
The troops reportedly encountered the criminals and engaged them in a gun battle.
During the confrontation, the pressure from the military forced the suspected bandits to abandon the kidnapped victims and flee into the surrounding forest.
The troops subsequently launched a search operation across the area to locate the victims and ensure that they were safe.
Six Men, Eight Women Rescued
The operation resulted in the rescue of 14 kidnapped victims, comprising six men and eight women.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims had reportedly been abducted from different communities across Dandume, Bakori and Funtua Local Government Areas of Katsina State.
The rescued victims were subsequently handed over to the relevant local authorities for documentation and further processing before being reunited with their families.
Army Says Operation Will Continue
The military authorities said the successful rescue demonstrated the ability of Operation Fansan Yamma to respond rapidly to credible security information and intervene when civilians are in danger.
The operation also forms part of ongoing efforts by security forces to protect communities and restrict the activities of armed groups operating across the North-West region of Nigeria.
The Army assured residents that troops would continue to mount pressure on suspected bandits and other criminal elements in the region.
The statement said:
“The military authorities are reassuring the general public that troops will continue to apply sustained pressure on the bandits to flee and intensify their operations to protect communities across the North-West.”
The authorities also appealed to residents to continue providing accurate and timely information to security agencies, stressing that credible intelligence from local communities remains important to ongoing security operations.
The latest rescue operation comes amid continued efforts by security forces to combat kidnapping and banditry in Katsina and other parts of Nigeria's North-West, where armed groups have continued to target rural communities and travellers.