Soldiers rescue 11 kidnap victims in two Kebbi operations
- Troops of Operation Fansan Yamma rescued 11 kidnapped people in Danko-Wasagu, Kebbi State, on October 30 and 31.
- Seven were freed after a gun battle on a road near Ribah town; four were taken from farms in Wasagu village.
- The 8 Division in Sokoto said all the victims have been reunited with their families or handed to community leaders.
Soldiers have rescued 11 people who were kidnapped in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, the army said on Sunday.
The rescues happened in two separate operations on October 30 and 31, 2026, according to a statement by Lt. Col. Olaniyi Osoba, spokesman for the 8 Division in Sokoto.
In the first operation, the troops responded to a distress call that armed bandits had blocked a road leading to Ribah town and were trying to enter the community.
When the soldiers arrived, they found that some residents had been taken, with motorcycles left behind at the scene. The troops chased the attackers and exchanged fire with them, forcing the gunmen to flee and leave seven victims behind, Osoba said.
The seven were named as Sa’adu Bala, Dantani Yahyi, Nura Musa, Nasiru Muhammad, Abdulakeem Abubakar, Abdulahi Maikudi and Zaki Gom. The military said they have been reunited with their families.
Second rescue near Wasagu
In the second operation, troops on routine patrol around Wasagu came under attack by suspected terrorists. The soldiers fought back, and the assailants fled, abandoning four people they had earlier seized from their farms in Wasagu village.
The four were identified as Lawali Ali, Samaila Shuaibu, Kasimu Shuaibu and Aliyu Bala, all residents of Wasagu. They were handed over to the community head.
The military said it remains committed to protecting lives and property in the area and will keep responding promptly to security threats.
For families in rural Kebbi, the fear of abduction on roads and farms has become part of daily life, and rescue operations like these are often the only good news they hear.
What happens next
The army says patrols and operations against bandits will continue in Danko-Wasagu and surrounding communities.
