Troops of the Joint Task Force North-West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, repelled 24 terrorist attacks, neutralised 18 terrorists, rescued 167 kidnap victims and arrested 10 suspected terrorists during sustained military operations across the North-West in October 2026.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed this on Friday during a monthly operational briefing with Defence Correspondents, where he presented the operational achievements of the Armed Forces of Nigeria across various theatres.
Onoja said troops responded decisively to the attacks with superior firepower and tactical manoeuvres, successfully repelling the assailants and sustaining offensive operations against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
He added that one terrorist also surrendered to troops during the period under review.
According to him, Operation FANSAN YAMMA sustained its offensive across Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States, denying terrorists freedom of action and disrupting their criminal networks.
Highlighting significant operational successes, Onoja disclosed that on October 7, troops thwarted an attempted attack by a large group of Lakurawa terrorists in Maiyama Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The terrorists, operating on more than 100 motorcycles and armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, were engaged by troops, resulting in the neutralisation of 10 terrorists while others fled.
Troops also recovered a machine gun, an AK-47 rifle, ammunition and a communication device.
In another encounter on October 29, troops conducting a patrol in Kuyello came under attack by suspected terrorists but successfully repelled the assault.
Subsequent exploitation of the area led to the neutralisation of three terrorists and the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, one magazine, three rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and a motorcycle.
Troops rescue 167 abducted victims
The Defence spokesman said troops also recorded significant successes in rescuing kidnapped persons across the operational theatre.
On October 1, troops rescued 18 kidnap victims unharmed at Unguwan Hudu Village in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Similarly, on October 16, troops engaged terrorists at Gamji Community in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State and rescued 27 villagers who had been abducted.
Between October 16 and 17, troops tracked kidnappers to Yan Taburmi in Falgore Forest, Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano State, where two kidnappers were neutralised.
The operation led to the rescue of the victim and recovery of ₦10 million suspected to be ransom money.
On October 28, troops ambushed heavily armed terrorists at Ghana Village in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, near a suspected crossing point at Dan Zaki, rescuing nine abducted persons comprising five males and four females.
Troops arrest suspected terrorist collaborators
In related operations, troops intensified efforts to dismantle terrorist support and logistics networks.
On October 8, troops arrested a suspected collaborator at Kuyello in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, who reportedly admitted to working with terrorists involved in kidnapping-for-ransom operations.
Similarly, on October 23, two suspects were arrested in Kuyello, one of whom allegedly confessed to supplying logistics materials, including fragmentation jackets, to terrorists operating at Damari.
The Defence Headquarters reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ commitment to sustaining operational pressure against terrorists and other criminal elements, disrupting their logistics networks, rescuing abducted civilians and restoring lasting peace and security across the North-West.
