JTF North-West Troops Rescue Six Kidnapped Victims in 2026

On September 17, 2026, troops from the Joint Task Force North-West, under Operation Fansan Yamma, successfully rescued six kidnapped victims during operations in Kaduna and Katsina states. Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, the Media Information Officer of the JTF North-West, reported that in Kaduna, troops from Sector 1 acted on intelligence regarding a kidnapping in Igabi Local Government Area.

Upon contact with the terrorists, the latter fled, leaving behind the victims, identified as Enock Hussaini, Abba Dauda, and Kalif Haruna, who had been abducted from Gidan Gulbi village on September 11. In Katsina, Sector 2 troops responded to a distress call about civilian abductions along the Dandume-Damari axis, engaging the terrorists and forcing them to abandon three victims: Abubakar Abdulkadir, 25; Mansir Idris, 26; and Abubakar Aliyu, 21.

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

Danja emphasized the ongoing commitment of Operation Fansan Yamma to protect civilians and disrupt terrorist activities.