NAF Strikes Hard, 22 Kidnap Victims Freed in Sokoto

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified pressure on terrorist and bandit groups operating in the North-West, carrying out a series of targeted air operations that disrupted criminal activities and aided the rescue of 22 kidnapped persons in Sokoto State.

Under the Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma, NAF aircraft conducted precision strikes on identified terrorist enclaves between June 18 and 19, targeting locations associated with armed groups threatening communities across the region.
NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the operations included attacks on a confirmed terrorist stronghold and an intelligence-led mission around Kidandan, where air assets tracked and engaged armed fighters, successfully neutralising them.
He explained that follow-up surveillance missions over Fatika and Sabuwa detected no signs of renewed terrorist activity, while continued aerial monitoring provided support for ground troops carrying out clearance operations.
On the ground, troops of Operation Fansan Yamma recorded major successes in Sokoto State, rescuing 22 victims from separate kidnap incidents in Sabon Birni and Isa Local Government Areas.
According to the operation’s spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, troops were mobilised after receiving reports that terrorists had ambushed travellers along the Sabon Birni–Shinkafi Road near Kura Mota Village, abducting passengers from two vehicles.
Supported by aerial reconnaissance, security personnel tracked the attackers and maintained sustained pressure, forcing them to abandon 17 captives before fleeing into nearby areas.
In a separate operation at Chohi Village, troops responded swiftly to an attempted abduction of farmers working on their farmlands. A rapid pursuit of the fleeing terrorists resulted in the successful rescue of five victims, who were later reunited with their families.
The coordinated air and ground operations underscore ongoing efforts by security agencies to deny criminal groups safe havens, protect vulnerable communities, and restore stability across the North-West.