Troops free 7 kidnap victims in late-night Kano raid, search for 4 others

Troops under Operation MESA, operating within the Nigerian Army’s 3 Brigade, have rescued seven people abducted during a nighttime attack in Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State.

The operation was triggered shortly before midnight on Friday after residents of Yankamaye Cikin Gari alerted security agencies to the presence of bandits in their community.

In a statement issued Sunday, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Captain Babatunde Zubairu, said soldiers moved quickly to the location alongside personnel of the Nigerian Air Force and the Police, confronted the attackers, and successfully secured the release of the hostages.

Zubairu revealed that the assailants killed a 60-year-old woman before troops reached the scene.

He added that after the initial clash, the soldiers pursued the armed group along the Rimaye axis, engaging them with what he described as a “high volume of fire,” which compelled the bandits to abandon the kidnapped victims.

Despite the successful rescue, four of the abducted individuals are still missing.

According to the statement, the fleeing gunmen escaped in the direction of Kankia Local Government Area in Katsina State, with security forces maintaining surveillance and efforts to track their movement.

The Commander of the 3 Brigade praised the troops for their prompt action and gallantry. He also appealed to residents to continue providing credible and timely intelligence to support ongoing operations aimed at tackling banditry in border communities.