Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has commended troops of the Joint Task Force (North West), Operation Fansan Yamma, for recording major successes against bandits during coordinated military operations across parts of the state.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, on Sunday, Mr Lawal praised the troops for what he described as decisive and timely offensives that disrupted criminal networks and neutralised several notorious bandit commanders operating in Zamfara.
The statement said troops of Operation Fansan Yamma carried out a coordinated onslaught in the early hours of Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji Local Government Areas.
According to the statement, the operation led to the elimination of three gang leaders, while security operatives also recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition from the suspects.
Items recovered during the operation included one AK-47 rifle, a machine gun, a locally fabricated handgun, seven rifle magazines and 571 rounds of ammunition.
Mr Lawal said the renewed military operations had become necessary in view of increasing security threats posed by armed groups terrorising communities in different parts of the state.
He particularly hailed another successful operation carried out on May 10, 2026, which reportedly disrupted a gathering of suspected terrorist leaders and neutralised several commanders in Shinkafi Local Government Area.
The statement explained that security operatives acted on credible intelligence indicating that terrorists had assembled at a concealed location in Tumfa Village to coordinate fresh attacks on communities across Zamfara State.
It added that the Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma subsequently launched a precision airstrike targeting the hideout.
“The precision strike successfully destroyed the structure serving as the terrorists’ meeting point,” the statement said.
Lawal described the military operations as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to restore peace and security in Zamfara and other parts of the North-West affected by banditry and terrorism.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting security agencies through the provision of logistics and other operational assistance aimed at strengthening the fight against criminal elements.
He also urged residents to continue cooperating with security agencies by providing timely and credible information that could assist ongoing operations against bandits and other criminal groups.
Zamfara State has remained one of the states most affected by banditry in the North-West, with several communities experiencing repeated attacks, kidnappings and cattle rustling in recent years.
