Nigerian military has rescued six kidnapped victims and recovered ₦800,000 stolen from them after troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA foiled a kidnap operation along the Dandume–Sheme Road in Katsina State.
The Media Information Officer of Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, disclosed the development in a statement issued on newsmen, saying the operation underscored the military’s sustained offensive against terrorists operating across the North-West.
According to the statement, the rescue mission was carried out on Saturday, August 22, 2026, after troops of Sector 2 received a distress call that armed terrorists had intercepted a vehicle and abducted its six occupants in Dandume Local Government Area.
The troops immediately mobilised to the scene and engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun battle. Unable to withstand the troops’ superior firepower, the criminals abandoned the victims and fled into nearby bushes.
All six victims were rescued unharmed during the operation.
The troops also recovered the ₦800,000 reportedly taken from the victims by the terrorists. The recovered cash, alongside the victims’ vehicle, was subsequently handed back to the owners in the presence of the Divisional Police Officer in Dandume.
The military said the successful operation highlighted the importance of prompt responses to emergency calls as terrorists continue to target travellers on vulnerable routes across the North-West.
In another operation conducted on Friday, August 21, troops engaged terrorists along the Maraban Kankara axis in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The terrorists reportedly fled into surrounding bushes after exchanging fire with the troops, who pursued them and later recovered a motorcycle believed to have been abandoned during the escape.
The Joint Task Force said the operations were part of ongoing efforts to deny terrorists freedom of movement while protecting lives and property across the region.
The military also appealed to residents to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible intelligence, stressing that community cooperation remains vital in the fight against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
