Troops of Operation Fansan Yamma have rescued 11 kidnapped residents during two separate security operations in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, the Nigerian Army has said.

The operations were conducted on October 30 and 31, 2026, following separate encounters with suspected armed bandits and terrorists, according to a statement by the spokesman for the Army’s 8 Division, Sokoto, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba.

Osoba said the first operation followed a distress call reporting that armed men had blocked a road leading to Ribah town and were attempting to enter the community. Troops deployed to the area reportedly discovered that residents had been abducted and motorcycles left behind at the scene.

The soldiers pursued the suspected attackers and exchanged gunfire with them, forcing the gunmen to retreat and abandon seven captives, the military said. The rescued residents were identified as Sa’adu Bala, Dantani Yahyi, Nura Musa, Nasiru Muhammad, Abdulakeem Abubakar, Abdulahi Maikudi and Zaki Gom. They were subsequently reunited with their families.

In a separate incident around Wasagu, troops on routine patrol reportedly came under attack from suspected terrorists. The soldiers repelled the assault, forcing the attackers to flee and leave behind four people who had allegedly been abducted from their farms in Wasagu village.

The four rescued residents were identified as Lawali Ali, Samaila Shuaibu, Kasimu Shuaibu and Aliyu Bala. According to the military, they were handed over to the community head after their rescue.

The Army reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing operations against banditry and other criminal activities in the area, saying troops would continue responding to security threats and working to protect residents and their property.

The latest rescues come amid persistent security challenges in parts of north-western Nigeria, where armed attacks and kidnappings have threatened rural communities. However, details about the suspected attackers, including whether any arrests or casualties were recorded during the two encounters, were not provided in the statement cited in the reports.