Troops rescue 27 victims after gun battle with terrorists in Katsina

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Fansan Yamma, have rescued 27 kidnapped residents in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The Media Information Officer of the task force, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

Danja said troops of Sector 1 received a distress call on October 16 over terrorist activities in Gamji community, where 27 residents, comprising 15 males and 12 females, were reportedly abducted.

He said the troops pursued the attackers along the Gangare–Kamba axis and engaged them in a gunfight, forcing them to flee and abandon the victims.

All 27 victims were rescued unharmed and handed over to community leaders for reunification with their families after profiling, he added.

In a separate operation on the same day, troops on a fighting patrol around Kurba village in Kankara Local Government Area encountered suspected terrorists riding three motorcycles.

Danja said the suspects fled on sighting the troops, abandoning one motorcycle, which the soldiers recovered.

He said the operations formed part of ongoing efforts to restrict the movement of armed groups and protect communities across the North-West.