Forty-eight residents abducted during a deadly bandit invasion of Magami village in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been rescued after troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, launched a swift counter-operation that forced the attackers to flee.
The rescue took place in the early hours of Sunday after troops attached to Sector 2 received intelligence that dozens of heavily armed terrorists riding about 40 motorcycles had stormed the community, attacked residents and taken scores of people hostage.
Military authorities said the gunmen had already gathered the captives and were preparing to move them into the forest while another group waited on the outskirts of the village with the motorcycles that would be used to transport the victims.
Responding quickly to the distress call, troops advanced to the area and confronted the terrorists in a fierce gun battle. The attackers were overwhelmed by the military response and abandoned all the kidnapped residents before escaping into nearby bushes.
The operation led to the successful rescue of 48 abducted victims, preventing what could have become another prolonged mass kidnapping in the state.
The attack, however, claimed the life of one civilian, while two other residents suffered gunshot wounds during the invasion. The injured victims were immediately evacuated to the General Hospital in Kaura Namoda, where they are receiving treatment.
After securing the community and rescuing the victims, troops intensified security operations by conducting aggressive patrols around Magami and neighbouring areas to prevent the fleeing terrorists from regrouping or launching fresh attacks.
The Theatre Command of Operation FANSAN YAMMA praised the soldiers for their courage and professionalism during the operation, describing the rescue as another demonstration of the military’s determination to tackle terrorism and banditry across the North-West.
The command also appealed to members of the public to continue working closely with security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence that could help troops track down criminal groups and prevent future attacks.
The latest operation adds to a series of recent rescue missions carried out by the military across the country as security forces intensify efforts against kidnappers and armed groups.
Earlier this month, the Nigerian Army announced the rescue of 44 pupils and teachers who had spent 56 days in captivity after being abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
According to the Army, the operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering and involved personnel from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Counter Terrorism Centre, the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, as well as local vigilantes, hunters and Amotekun operatives.
Military authorities said the operation targeted the criminal network responsible for the school abduction, leading to the arrest of several suspects, the dismantling of their logistics chain and the eventual rescue of all 44 victims.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed that the pupils and teachers were rescued without the Federal Government paying any ransom or granting concessions to the kidnappers.
The pupils and teachers were kidnapped on May 15 after armed men invaded Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.