Troops of Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued five abducted female victims in Katsina State and recovered rustled livestock after repelling a separate terrorist attack in neighbouring Sokoto State.
The operations were carried out separately in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State and Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State following intelligence received by troops and information provided by local communities.
In Katsina, troops reportedly received information about the movement of suspected terrorists around the Madaci Forest area of Sabuwa LGA.
Acting on the information, the soldiers mobilised towards the area in an attempt to intercept the group.
The military operation disrupted the movement of the suspected terrorists and resulted in the rescue of five female abductees.
The rescued victims included a mother and her infant as well as three other females described as minors and young adults.
The five victims were reported to be residents of Danja and Funtua Local Government Areas of Katsina State.
Following their rescue, they were handed over to the Chairman of Bakori Local Government Area, Hon. Abubakar Musa, to facilitate their reunification with their families.
No information was immediately provided on when the five victims were abducted, how long they had spent in captivity or the circumstances surrounding their original abduction.
There was also no reported indication that any ransom was paid before the military operation that led to their rescue.
Troops subsequently continued patrols around the area as part of efforts to maintain security and restrict the movement of armed groups operating around the forest.
Sabuwa and other parts of southern Katsina have experienced repeated security operations targeting armed groups involved in kidnapping, attacks on communities and cattle rustling.
The latest operation resulted in all five abducted females being recovered from captivity without any reported death among the rescued victims.
In a separate operation in Sokoto State, troops of the 248 Reconnaissance Battalion responded to an attack by suspected terrorists at Badiya village in Shagari Local Government Area.
The soldiers reportedly acted after receiving intelligence concerning suspicious movement around the community.
The troops subsequently confronted the attackers and forced them to retreat into the surrounding terrain.
During their withdrawal, the suspected terrorists abandoned a large number of livestock believed to have been rustled.
The animals were recovered by the troops after the attackers fled.
No number was immediately provided for the livestock recovered during the operation.
The available account also did not identify individual owners of the animals.
Following the recovery, arrangements were made to return the livestock to their owners.
The animals were subsequently handed back during a brief ceremony facilitated by the Chairman of Shagari Local Government Area and the traditional leadership in the area.
No military or civilian casualty was reported in the account of the Badiya operation.
There was also no report of an arrest following the confrontation, with the attackers said to have withdrawn into the surrounding terrain after encountering the troops.
The two operations form part of ongoing security activities under Operation FANSAN YAMMA across Nigeria’s North-West.
The operation involves Nigerian military formations deployed against terrorist and bandit groups responsible for attacks, kidnapping and livestock rustling across several states in the region.
The 248 Reconnaissance Battalion has previously been identified by the Nigerian Army as one of the formations operating under the 8 Division and Joint Task Force Operation FANSAN YAMMA in Sokoto State.
In December 2025, Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu visited personnel of the battalion at Illela in Sokoto State and directed troops to sustain operations against terrorists and bandits operating within their area of responsibility.
The Army said at the time that operations by troops had contributed to security efforts within communities in their operational area.
The latest developments involved two different forms of criminal activity confronting communities in the North-West.
In Katsina, the military operation focused on locating suspected terrorists whose movement had been reported around Madaci Forest and resulted in the rescue of abducted females.
In Sokoto, soldiers responded to an attack and recovered livestock abandoned by the fleeing attackers.
The Katsina operation also highlights the role of intelligence from communities in military operations.
Information concerning the movement of the suspected terrorists around Madaci Forest enabled troops to mobilise towards the location.
The tactical response disrupted the group and allowed the five victims to regain their freedom.
After their rescue, responsibility for facilitating their return to their families was transferred to local authorities through the Bakori Local Government chairman.
In Sokoto, intelligence similarly alerted troops to suspicious movement before the attack in Badiya village.
The military response forced the suspected attackers to withdraw and abandon the livestock.
The recovery and subsequent return of the animals prevented their owners from permanently losing livestock during the incident.
Cattle and other livestock remain important economic assets for many rural households across Katsina, Sokoto and other parts of the North-West.
Rustling has accompanied several attacks by armed groups on farming and pastoral communities in the region, alongside kidnapping and raids on villages.
Operation FANSAN YAMMA troops have continued patrols and other military activities across the affected areas.
In the latest Katsina operation, troops were reported to have maintained aggressive patrols after rescuing the five females to maintain presence around the affected area.
The military did not announce the identities of the suspected terrorists involved in either operation.
There was similarly no information indicating that the group encountered around Madaci Forest was the same group involved in the Badiya village attack in Sokoto.
The incidents occurred in separate states and were handled as separate military operations.
The confirmed outcome in Katsina was the rescue of five female victims and their transfer to local authorities for reunification with their families.
In Sokoto, troops repelled the attack, recovered the abandoned livestock and facilitated their return to their owners through local government and traditional authorities.
Security operations remain ongoing across both states as troops seek to restrict the activities and movement of armed groups operating within rural communities and forest areas of the North-West.
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