Nigerian Troops Rescue 48 Kidnap Victims in Zamfara

Nigerian troops have rescued 48 abducted civilians after armed attackers raided Magami Village in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State, in the latest security incident in the country's troubled North-West.
According to the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, the attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday, July 26, 2026, when a large group of armed men, riding about 40 motorcycles, stormed the community and abducted several residents.
The task force's Media Information Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, said troops from Sector 2 responded swiftly after receiving a distress call. He explained that the attackers were attempting to move the captives into a nearby forest while another group waited outside the village with the motorcycles.
Upon arrival, the troops engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle, forcing the armed men to abandon the captives and flee into the surrounding forest. All 48 abducted civilians were successfully rescued.
The military, however, confirmed that one civilian was killed during the attack, while two others sustained gunshot wounds. The injured victims were evacuated to the General Hospital in Kaura Namoda, where they are currently receiving treatment.
The operation is the latest effort by security forces to combat banditry and kidnapping in Zamfara State and other parts of Nigeria's North-West.