Army Stops Courier with 180 Explosives in Zamfara

Troops from the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have stopped a suspected arms courier. He was carrying 180 units of 20mm Super Power explosives in Zamfara State.

The troops made the interception on Friday, August 14, 2026. This happened during their regular checks on vehicles by troops of Sector 2.

The suspect is a 57-year-old man named Sani Umar. He was reportedly taking the explosives from Gusau Local Government Area in Zamfara to suspected terrorists in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State.

A post by the Nigerian Army on X on Saturday shared details of the incident. The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, said a search of Umar’s vehicle led to the discovery of the explosives.

“The suspect, vehicle and recovered explosives are currently in custody for further investigation,” the military stated.

This interception occurred while troops were also carrying out offensive operations against terrorists in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area.

During these operations, troops faced off with terrorists around Garin Kaso. They engaged in a fierce firefight, killing two suspected terrorists and seizing two rifles, two magazines, nine rounds of ammunition, and two motorcycles.

The military reported that another group of terrorists later tried to ambush the troops. They were hiding in concealed positions but the troops managed to fight them off.

The troops reportedly caused more casualties among the terrorists. This forced the surviving members to run away from the area.

The exact number of casualties from this second encounter is not yet confirmed. However, the military mentioned that community reports suggested several wounded terrorists and some dead bodies were taken away by the fleeing group.

The military emphasized that these operations show the ongoing offensive strategy of Operation FANSAN YAMMA. This strategy targets both terrorist hideouts and the supply chains that provide them with weapons and explosives.

The Theatre Command stated that it will keep carrying out offensive operations to disrupt terrorist activities. They aim to “deny terrorists and other criminal elements freedom of action across the North West.”