Troops of the joint task force in the north-west, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued 33 passengers who were abducted by terrorists in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The victims were freed on Saturday after security operatives received intelligence indicating that armed terrorists had intercepted commuters along the Magazu axis of the LGA.
Aliyu Danja, media information officer of the joint task force, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to Danja, troops from Sector 2 of the operation, working alongside personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, swiftly mobilised to the location upon receiving the report.
He explained that the operatives confronted the terrorists while they were transporting the abducted passengers to an unknown destination.
“The troops engaged the terrorists with effective fire, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee into adjoining bushes,” he said.
Danja further noted that all 33 victims were successfully rescued without any casualties recorded during the operation.
He added that follow-up operations had commenced, with troops combing the surrounding areas to track down the fleeing suspects.
The theatre commander of Operation FANSAN YAMMA commended the personnel for their swift action and professionalism, describing the rescue as a significant success.
He also called on residents to remain alert and continue to provide timely and credible information on the activities of terrorists and other criminal elements to security agencies.