Troops repels Zamfara kidnap attacks, frees poly rector, 21 others

The Nigerian Army says troops under Operation FANSAN YAMMA have disrupted a series of kidnap operations in Zamfara State, rescuing the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, and several other victims.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North West, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, said the operations were carried out by troops of Sector 2 following separate distress calls from communities under attack.

According to the military, the first operation took place in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area after terrorists stormed the residence of the polytechnic rector in an attempt to kidnap him and his family.

The attackers reportedly shot dead the rector’s private security guard and injured another resident before troops arrived at the scene.

The soldiers engaged the gunmen in a firefight, forcing them to abandon the operation and flee, while Dr. Yusuf and his family were safely extracted.

In a separate operation, troops responding to another emergency in Tungan Dorawa, Barkeji Village, intercepted armed men attempting to whisk away residents.

The military said the soldiers pursued the fleeing terrorists despite difficult terrain, successfully preventing the abduction.

At about the same time, another team of troops confronted suspected terrorists targeting a businessman, Alhaji Azaria, in the same community.

The intervention led to the rescue of the businessman and 21 other victims who had already been taken from nearby homes.

The operation also resulted in the arrest of a 45-year-old suspect, identified as Falalu Yusuf, who is alleged to have supplied information to the attackers. He has been handed over for further investigation.

The military said the successful operations underscore the determination of Operation FANSAN YAMMA to intensify efforts against banditry and kidnapping across Zamfara State and other parts of the North-West.