Nigerian Army troops have rescued six kidnapped civilians in separate operations in Kaduna and Katsina states after confronting suspected terrorists holding the victims.
The operations were carried out on Thursday, September 17, 2026, by troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, according to the task force.
The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.
In Kaduna State, troops of Sector 1 responded to intelligence about a kidnapping incident in Igabi Local Government Area and encountered suspected terrorists moving with their captives.
Danja said the arrival of the soldiers forced the suspects to abandon the victims and flee.
Three victims — Enock Hussaini, Abba Dauda and Kalif Haruna — were subsequently rescued.
The victims had reportedly been abducted from Gidan Gulbi Village on September 11.
According to the Army, the rescued civilians were debriefed and later reunited with their families, while troops remained deployed in the area to prevent further attacks.
A separate operation in Katsina State also resulted in the rescue of three victims along the Dandume-Damari axis in Dandume Local Government Area.
The troops of Sector 2 were deployed following a distress call over the abduction of civilians in the area.
Danja said the soldiers engaged the suspected terrorists and forced them to retreat into nearby bushes.
The troops pursued the fleeing suspects and rescued three victims identified as Abubakar Abdulkadir, 25; Mansir Idris, 26; and Abubakar Aliyu, 21.
The soldiers also recovered a black Golf vehicle belonging to the victims before escorting the rescued civilians out of the area.
The Joint Task Force said the operations were part of ongoing efforts to protect civilians, disrupt terrorist activities and restrict the movement of armed groups across the North-West.
It urged residents to remain vigilant and provide security agencies with timely information about suspicious movements and activities.
