Nigerian troops have rescued 138 kidnap victims, detained key terrorist collaborators, and intercepted illicit arms and explosives in a wave of security operations across northern Nigeria, military sources confirmed.
Operations were conducted in Zamfara, Borno, and Adamawa states as part of the Nigerian Army’s intensified campaign against insurgent and bandit networks.
On 20 July, troops from 1 Brigade, supported by local vigilantes, liberated 106 hostages—mostly girls—from terrorist captivity on the outskirts of Mayanchi village in Zamfara State. The assailants were forced to abandon their captives as troops advanced with overwhelming force.
The same day, a separate group of 32 captives were handed over to federal authorities by community mediators. Five AK-47 rifles and a DUSHKA machine gun were also recovered during the operations.
The army also arrested a notorious terrorist logistician and ransom negotiator in Tofa village, Zamfara, who is believed to have played a key role in sustaining criminal operations in the region.
In Adamawa State, 144 Battalion troops, working in tandem with local hunter groups, ambushed ISWAP fighters in Takaskala, Madagali LGA. Items recovered included detonators, IED pressure plates, batteries, and plastic explosives.
Meanwhile in Borno, the 242 Recce Battalion repelled a coordinated infiltration attempt by insurgents in Monguno LGA. Weapons retrieved included an RPG bomb and ammunition. Joint operations also led to the arrest of an ISWAP informant and a suspected drug trafficker in separate incidents in Monguno and Damasak.
The army emphasised that these successes reflect its sustained commitment to safeguarding national security and disrupting the operational infrastructure of terrorist groups.
Authorities praised local communities for providing intelligence and urged continued public cooperation to ensure enduring peace and security.
