Troops of Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued abducted civilians, neutralised two terrorists, and recovered weapons and rustled livestock during coordinated operations in Sokoto and Katsina States.

The operations, carried out on 21 and 22 June 2026, also foiled a planned attack, disrupted kidnapping activities, and led to the seizure of firearms, motorcycles, communication devices, and other logistics items used by the criminals.

According to a statement by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North West), Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, the first incident occurred on 21 June when armed terrorists attempted to infiltrate Tureta town in Sokoto State. Troops, acting on intelligence, engaged the attackers and forced them to retreat.

The fleeing suspects were later tracked by aerial surveillance to Sulubawa Gidan Kare village, where they were found moving with abducted civilians and rustled cattle. Troops pursued them and engaged in a firefight despite an ambush attempt. The operation resulted in the rescue of the abductees, recovery of livestock, and seizure of two motorcycles.

In a separate operation in the early hours of 22 June, troops conducted a dawn raid on a terrorist hideout in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State. Two terrorists were killed during the encounter, while others escaped with gunshot wounds.

Items recovered from the hideout included one PKT machine gun, one AK-47 rifle with ammunition, three motorcycles, mobile communication devices, and rustled livestock.

The military said the operations reflect ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist networks in the North West and assured that offensives would continue across the region.

Lieutenant Colonel Danja said the troops remain committed to denying criminals freedom of action and restoring security in affected communities.