Troops of the joint task force north-west under Operation FANSAN YAMMA have rescued 48 abducted victims following a swift response to a terrorist attack on Magami village in Kaura Namoda LGA of Zamfara state.
In a statement on Sunday, Aliyu Danja, media information officer of the joint task force (north-west) Operation FANSAN YAMMA, said the operation followed a distress call received in the early hours of July 26 that a large group of terrorists “riding on about 40 motorcycles had invaded the community”.
According to the statement, the terrorists reportedly rounded up dozens of residents with the intention of taking them into the forest, while another group stayed on the outskirts of the village to guard the motorcycles.
“On arrival at the scene, the troops immediately engaged the terrorists in a fierce firefight, forcing them to abandon the kidnapped victims and flee into the surrounding bush,” Danja said.
“The prompt intervention led to the successful rescue of all 48 abducted civilians.”
He said one civilian was killed during the attack, while two others sustained gunshot wounds and were evacuated to the General Hospital, Kaura Namoda, where they are currently receiving medical treatment.
Following the rescue, the troops were said to have conducted aggressive patrols to dominate the area and forestall any further attacks.
“The Theatre Command commends the gallantry and professionalism of the troops for this successful operation and reassures residents of the North West of its unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property,” the statement added.
Danja encouraged the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to “sustain the momentum in ridding the north-west of terrorist elements”.