Soldiers rescue 48 kidnapped villagers in Zamfara

Troops from the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have freed 48 victims who were kidnapped during an attack on Magami village. This incident happened in the Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The military shared this news in a statement on Sunday. The statement came from Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, the Media Information Officer for Operation FANSAN YAMMA.

The rescue mission started early on Saturday after soldiers got a distress call. This call warned them that a large group of heavily armed terrorists was attacking the village.

The statement said, “Troops of Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued 48 kidnapped victims following a swift response to a terrorist attack on Magami village, Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State, in the early hours of 26 July 2026.”

The military reported that the terrorists came on about 40 motorcycles. They stormed the village and began rounding up residents to take them into the bush.

The statement added, “The operation was launched after troops of Sector 2 received a distress call indicating that a large group of terrorists, riding about 40 motorcycles, had invaded the community. The terrorists rounded up numerous residents with the intention of taking them into the bush, while another group remained at the outskirts of the village with the motorcycles.”

When the troops arrived, they immediately engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle. This forced the terrorists to flee and leave their captives behind.

“On arrival at the scene, the troops immediately engaged the terrorists in a fierce firefight, forcing them to abandon the kidnapped victims and flee into the surrounding bush. The prompt intervention led to the successful rescue of all 48 abducted civilians,” the statement said.

Sadly, the Army reported that one civilian was killed during the attack. Two others were injured and taken to the General Hospital in Kaura Namoda for medical care.

“Regrettably, one civilian lost his life during the attack, while two others sustained gunshot wounds and were evacuated to the General Hospital, Kaura Namoda, where they are currently receiving medical treatment,” it stated.

After the rescue, troops conducted aggressive patrols in the area to stop any further attacks.

The Theatre Command praised the troops for their bravery and professionalism. They assured residents that they are committed to restoring security in the North-West.

“The Theatre Command commends the gallantry and professionalism of the troops for this successful operation and reassures residents of the North West of its unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property.

“The public is enjoined to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to sustain the momentum in ridding the North West of terrorist elements,” the statement concluded.

Zamfara State is one of the places heavily affected by banditry and mass kidnappings in Nigeria’s North-West. Armed groups frequently attack rural areas, abducting residents for ransom and launching deadly assaults on villages. This continues despite ongoing military efforts to dismantle the terrorists’ strongholds.

Operation FANSAN YAMMA is one of the military’s ongoing joint operations aimed at fighting terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes in the North-West. Recently, security agencies have stepped up operations against criminal groups in the region.