Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued nine kidnapped victims, recovered 56 rustled livestock and arrested a suspected terrorist during separate operations in Katsina State.
The task force disclosed this in a statement on Friday by its Media Information Officer, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja.
According to the statement, troops of Sector 2 rescued the victims during a fighting patrol in Faskari Local Government Area. The rescued victims comprised three women, four men and two children.
Preliminary findings showed that the victims were abducted on July 9 along the Tsafe–Kuchere Road in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The victims reportedly escaped from their captors after the terrorists fell asleep and were intercepted by troops while trying to reach safety. They are currently in custody pending reunification with their families.
In a separate operation, troops acting on credible intelligence responded to an attempted livestock rustling in Bakori Local Government Area.
The statement said the terrorists opened fire on sighting the troops but fled into the bush after being overpowered, abandoning 56 rustled animals comprising four cattle and 52 sheep.
The recovered livestock are being kept by the troops pending handover to the appropriate authorities.
Troops also arrested a suspected terrorist during routine operations in Danmusa Local Government Area.
According to the task force, items suspected to be linked to terrorist activities were recovered from the suspect, who is currently in military custody undergoing further investigation.
The Theatre Commander of Operation FANSAN YAMMA commended the troops for their professionalism and reaffirmed the task force’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-led operations against terrorism and other criminal activities across the North-West.
