Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA have rescued 22 kidnapped victims in separate operations carried out across parts of Sokoto State, in a renewed push against banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria’s North-West region.
According to security sources, the rescues were made possible through timely intelligence and distress calls that alerted the military to ongoing attacks by armed groups targeting highways and rural communities.
In the first incident, troops responded to a violent ambush along the Sabon Birni–Shinkafi Road, where armed terrorists blocked the highway at the Kura Mota axis and attacked two civilian vehicles.
The attackers abducted several passengers and attempted to flee into surrounding forested areas. However, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA immediately mobilized, pursued the terrorists, and mounted sustained pressure that forced them to abandon their captives.
A total of 17 passengers were successfully rescued during the operation.
In a separate mission in Isa Local Government Area, troops acted on intelligence reports of kidnappers operating in farming communities.
Security forces tracked the armed group and engaged in a pursuit operation, leading to the rescue of five abducted farmers who had been taken earlier in the attack.
Following the successful rescue operations, troops conducted additional security patrols across vulnerable routes and surrounding communities to prevent further attacks and reassure residents.
The military noted that sustained intelligence gathering and rapid response remain central to ongoing counter-kidnapping efforts in the region.
Sokoto State, like several parts of Nigeria’s North-West, continues to experience insecurity driven by armed bandit groups that frequently target highways, rural settlements, and farming communities for ransom-related kidnappings.
