Troops rescue 41 travellers from bandits in Zamfara

Troops of Sector 2, Operation Fansan Yamma, rescued 41 travellers after bandits attempted to abduct them in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, the operation said on Tuesday. The passengers were travelling in a commercial vehicle from Senegal to Kano State when the vehicle developed a mechanical fault along a highway. The breakdown left the group stranded and created an opportunity for the armed group, according to a statement issued by the operation.

The victims comprised 24 men, 10 women and seven children. The statement said the bandits tried to move the passengers into the surrounding area. Acting on actionable intelligence, troops mobilised to the scene and engaged the armed group.

The operation said the soldiers used superior firepower, forcing the bandits to abandon the travellers and flee into nearby farmlands. “All 41 victims were successfully rescued unharmed,” the statement said. It added that the travellers were receiving necessary support and were expected to be reunited with their families and transit authorities.

Troops have maintained an active presence in the area, according to the operation, while efforts continue to pursue the fleeing suspects. The statement did not say whether any arrests had been made or identify losses suffered by the armed group. The rescue was reported amid military operations in the North-West aimed at disrupting bandit activity and protecting communities and people using major highways.

The operation provided no further details about the vehicle’s mechanical fault or the duration of the passengers’ ordeal.