Soldiers rescue six kidnapped victims in Kaduna, Katsina

Troops of the Joint Task Force North-West, Operation Fansan Yamma, have rescued six kidnapped victims during separate operations in Kaduna and Katsina states.

The victims were rescued on Thursday, September 17, 2026, following intelligence-led operations in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State and the Dandume-Damari axis of Katsina State.

The Media Information Officer of the JTF North-West, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.

Danja said troops of Sector 1, acting on intelligence about a kidnapping incident in Igabi, made contact with terrorists moving some abducted victims.

He said the terrorists fled after sighting the troops, abandoning the victims.

According to him, the rescued victims were identified as Enock Hussaini, Abba Dauda and Kalif Haruna, who were abducted from Gidan Gulbi village on September 11.

“The victims were subsequently debriefed and reunited with their families, while troops continued to dominate the general area,” he said.

In Katsina, Danja said troops of Sector 2 responded to a distress call concerning the abduction of civilians along the Dandume-Damari axis.

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He said the troops swiftly mobilised to the area and engaged the terrorists with “overwhelming firepower,” forcing them to flee into the surrounding bushes and abandon their victims.

The three rescued victims were identified as Abubakar Abdulkadir, 25; Mansir Idris, 26; and Abubakar Aliyu, 21.

The troops also recovered a black Golf vehicle belonging to the victims, while the rescued persons were later escorted and released to continue their journey.

Danja said the latest operations underscored the continued efforts of Operation Fansan Yamma to protect civilians, disrupt terrorist activities and deny criminals freedom of action across the Joint Operations Area.

He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the nearest security agency.