Nigerian troops under Operation FANSAN YAMMA have foiled a planned terrorist attack on communities in Sokoto State, intercepting armed criminals en route to launch what military authorities described as a mission to unleash havoc on innocent residents.
According to military signals obtained, troops of the 8 Division Garrison, Sector 2 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, acting on credible intelligence, laid a tactical ambush at Kwanar Jollof in Jangeru village, Shinkafi Local Government Area, where the terrorists were reportedly moving toward their target locations.
The operation, conducted on Tuesday, culminated in a fierce gun battle after the terrorists ran into the troops’ carefully coordinated trap.
“The troops, acting on credible intelligence, tactically positioned themselves at Kwanar Jollof, Jangeru village in Shinkafi,” the military signal stated.
“On sighting the terrorists, the troops engaged them with a heavy volume of fire without hesitation, forcing the terrorists to abandon their mission and flee.”
The terrorists reportedly fled under intense military pressure, abandoning a significant cache of equipment and weapons believed to have been intended for deadly operations across communities in the state.
Items recovered from the scene included a PKT assault weapon, a cache of ammunition, two motorcycles, a chain allegedly used for restraining kidnapped victims, and eight pairs of military uniforms suspected to have been used by the terrorists to disguise themselves as security personnel.
Military sources said the recovery of the chain and military uniforms further exposed the tactics employed by terrorist groups operating in the North-West, where criminals have increasingly been accused of impersonating soldiers and using fear tactics to abduct civilians.
The latest success comes amid an intensified military offensive against terrorist networks across Sokoto and neighbouring states.
Just days earlier, troops conducting separate rescue missions in Sabon Birni and Isa Local Government Areas of Sokoto State successfully freed 22 kidnapped victims held by terrorists.
According to the military, the June 18 operations led to the rescue of 17 passengers and five farmers who had been abducted during separate attacks by armed groups operating in the area.
Despite the successful rescue efforts, the military disclosed that one civilian lost his life during one of the terrorist attacks, highlighting the continuing human cost of insecurity in the region.
Security analysts say the latest ambush represents another significant blow to terrorist groups seeking to expand their operations in Sokoto, as troops continue to intensify intelligence-driven offensives aimed at dismantling criminal networks, disrupting their logistics routes and preventing attacks on vulnerable communities.
Military authorities have vowed to sustain pressure on terrorist enclaves across the North-West, insisting that troops remain committed to denying criminal elements freedom of movement and restoring lasting security to affected communities.