By Harriet Tornguvan
Troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force (North West) Operation FANSAN YAMMA, in collaboration with personnel of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps, have rescued 32 kidnapped victims and neutralised two terrorists during a major clearance operation in Katsina State.
The operation, which took place in the early hours of Friday at Dikawa Village in Matazu Local Government Area, was carried out following credible intelligence on the presence of terrorists holding kidnapped victims within the area.
In a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, the troops swiftly mobilised to the location and engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun battle.
According to the statement, the coordinated offensive overwhelmed the criminals, forcing them to flee and abandon their captives.
During the encounter, two terrorists were neutralised, while troops successfully rescued 32 victims comprising nine men, 10 women, and 13 children.
The troops also destroyed identified terrorist hideouts and life-support structures within the enclave to deny the criminals further operational bases in the area.
Items recovered during the operation included two AK-47 rifles, 15 AK-47 magazines loaded with ammunition, a General Purpose Machine Gun butt, a revolver chamber, eight PKT ammunition links, a fabricated hand grenade, assorted ammunition, and 10 motorcycles.
Additionally, troops recovered 26 rustled livestock from the terrorists.
The rescued victims have since been evacuated to safety and are receiving medical attention and necessary care.
Lieutenant Colonel Danja stated that the continued successes recorded by troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA reflect the commitment, professionalism, and resilience of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies in tackling terrorism and criminality across the North-West region.
He also appreciated the support and cooperation of residents, urging members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to enhance ongoing operations across the theatre.
