Troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force North-West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, have rescued 33 passengers abducted by terrorists in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The victims were rescued on Saturday, August 8, after security forces received credible intelligence that terrorists had intercepted and abducted commuters travelling through the Magazu area of the local government.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Media Information Officer of JTF North-West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lt-Col Aliyu Danja.
Danja said troops and police personnel deployed in Tsafe immediately mobilised to the area following the report of the abduction.
According to him, the security forces subsequently made contact with the terrorists while they were moving the kidnapped passengers to an undisclosed location.
He said the troops engaged the terrorists, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee into nearby bushes.
“The troops engaged the terrorists with effective fire, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee into adjoining bushes,” Danja said.
He added that the security forces subsequently secured the area and rescued all 33 passengers.
“The troops subsequently secured and rescued all 33 abducted persons without any casualty,” he said.
The rescue operation represents another intervention by security forces against terrorist and kidnapping activities in Zamfara, where commuters and rural communities have continued to face security threats.
The rescued passengers were taken into the custody of the security forces for necessary checks and further action, while efforts to track the fleeing terrorists were expected to continue.
