Troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria have recorded significant operational successes across several northern states, rescuing kidnapped victims, neutralising bandits, and foiling multiple abduction attempts in a series of coordinated operations.The military said the operations, carried out between March 30 and April 2, 2026, spanned parts of the North-West and North-Central regions under three joint task forces — Operation Fansan Yamma, Operation Savannah Shield, and Operation Enduring Peace.Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed that the missions covered states including Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, and Bauchi, targeting criminal enclaves and disrupting terrorist activities.According to him, troops on March 30 responded to an attack on commuters along the Sabon Gida–Anguwan Rogo axis in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State, successfully engaging the assailants and rescuing five civilians. The swift intervention forced the attackers to retreat.In follow-up operations on March 31, troops, alongside local vigilantes, conducted fighting patrols across communities in Kebbi and Zamfara States, where they neutralised a terrorist, destroyed motorcycles used for mobility, and dismantled a key hideout linked to a notorious kingpin.Additional patrols in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara led to the killing of another insurgent, with troops recovering mobile phones believed to have been used for coordinating attacks.In Katsina State, soldiers repelled an ആക്രമment on farmers in Kankara Local Government Area, forcing the attackers to flee and recovering two pump-action rifles.Troops also responded to a kidnapping incident in Sokoto State, where 17 residents were abducted in Wurno Local Government Area. Despite difficult terrain, five victims were rescued, while efforts to locate the remaining abductees continue.In a separate rescue operation in Katsina, troops evacuated five injured kidnap victims abandoned by fleeing bandits along the Dandume Maigora Road for urgent medical treatment.Further south in Kwara State, troops thwarted a kidnapping attempt in Patigi Local Government Area, arresting two suspects found with firearms. The suspects remain in custody as investigations continue.In Plateau State, troops arrested two individuals linked to the killing of a traditional ruler in Mangu Local Government Area, while in another operation in Barkin Ladi, a kidnapped woman was rescued unharmed after troops pursued and dispersed her abductors.The military said the series of coordinated offensives highlights its sustained commitment to securing vulnerable communities and dismantling criminal networks across the country.
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