The military’s superior firepower overwhelmed the attackers, forcing them to abandon all the abducted victims and flee into the surrounding forest
By Abike Jimoh
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Published on July 26, 2026
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2 min read
Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued 48 kidnapped victims after successfully repelling a bandit attack on Magami village in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The rescue operation followed a distress call received by troops of Sector 2 in the early hours of Sunday, reporting that dozens of heavily armed terrorists riding about 40 motorcycles had invaded the community and abducted several residents.
In a statement, the Information Officer of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, said the attackers had assembled the abducted villagers and were preparing to move them into a nearby forest, while another group waited on the outskirts of the community with motorcycles for their escape.
According to the statement, troops responded immediately to the distress call and confronted the terrorists in a fierce gun battle upon arrival at the scene.
The military’s superior firepower overwhelmed the attackers, forcing them to abandon all the abducted victims and flee into the surrounding forest.
The operation resulted in the successful rescue of all 48 kidnapped residents without any of them being taken into the terrorists’ hideouts.
However, the attack claimed the life of one civilian, while two other residents sustained gunshot injuries during the incident.
The injured victims were evacuated to the General Hospital in Kaura Namoda, where they are receiving medical treatment.
Following the successful rescue, troops carried out intensive patrols within and around Magami village to prevent further attacks and reassure residents of their safety.
The Theatre Command of Operation FANSAN YAMMA commended the troops for their gallantry, courage and professionalism during the operation, describing their swift response as a demonstration of the military’s resolve to combat terrorism and other violent crimes in the North-West.
The command reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property across the region and urged residents to continue supporting security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence.
It noted that public cooperation remains vital to sustaining ongoing military operations against terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements operating in the region.
