News Investigators/ Troops of Operation Fansan Yamma have rescued two kidnapped victims and recovered 94 rustled livestock in separate operations in Kaduna and Kano States.
The Joint Task Force North West recorded the successes during operations conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to a statement issued by Lt.-Col. Aliyu Danja, Media Information Officer of the task force.
The statement was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Thursday.
It said that in Kaduna, troops of Sector 1, while conducting a clearance operation in Kachia Local Government Area on Tuesday, encountered terrorists who attempted to ambush them.
The troops responded with superior firepower, forcing the terrorists to flee, while a motorcycle was recovered during the exploitation of the area.
In another operation, the troops responded to a distress call following the abduction of three civilians and rustling of livestock around Hayin Babangida in Igabi Local Government Area.
According to the statement, the troops tracked and engaged the terrorists, rescuing two female victims who were subsequently reunited with their families.
It, however, said that the third victim, a male, sustained a gunshot wound inflicted by the terrorists and died while being evacuated for medical attention.
Similarly, troops responded to reports of terrorist activities in Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State, where terrorists had rustled livestock from a community.
The troops pursued and engaged the terrorists as they attempted to escape, forcing them to abandon the rustled livestock and flee.
The task force said further exploitation of the area on Wednesday led to the recovery of additional livestock, bringing the total to 94, comprising 57 cows and 37 sheep.
It said the recovered livestock were subsequently handed over to their rightful owners in the presence of representatives of security agencies and local government authorities.
The Joint Task Force said the operations underscored its determination to sustain pressure on terrorists and criminal elements while protecting lives and livelihoods across the Joint Operations Area.
It said it would continue to take the fight to the criminals through intelligence-driven operations, aggressive patrols and rapid response to threats against communities.
The task force commended members of the public for their continued support and urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely and credible information on suspicious activities.
It said such cooperation remained vital to efforts to dismantle terrorist networks and restore lasting peace and security across the North-West region.
NAN