- Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA repelled a terrorist attack on a village in Sokoto state on August 21, 2026
- During the operation, soldiers neutralised one terrorist and recovered phones, cash, an ATM card, and recharge cards
- In a separate incident, a 43-year-old kidnap victim was rescued in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna state
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over four years of experience covering security issues and counterinsurgency in Nigeria and across Africa.
Kaduna, Kaduna state – Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, operating under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have successfully foiled a terrorist attack in Sokoto state and freed a kidnapped man in Kaduna state on the same day, the military said.
Legit.ng reports that Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, August 21, 2026. The statement was titled, ‘Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA Rescue Kidnapped Victim, Foil Terrorist Attack in Kaduna, Sokoto’.
Source: Twitter
Insecurity in Nigeria: Sokoto attack repelled
According to Danja, troops from Sector 2, working alongside local security elements, moved swiftly after receiving reports of a terrorist attack on Kwaren Gamba village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto state on Friday, August 21.
The soldiers engaged the attackers, forcing them to retreat in disarray. Troops then gave chase, and during the pursuit, one terrorist was killed. Items recovered from the scene included two mobile phones, cash, an ATM card, recharge cards, and other sundry materials.
Kidnap victim rescued in Kaduna
On Thursday, August 20, troops from Sector 1 responded to a distress call about a kidnapping near Awon Community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna state. A 43-year-old man had been abducted by terrorists in the area.
Soldiers tracked the suspects into the surrounding bushes, and the pressure of the chase led the kidnappers to abandon their captive and flee. The rescued man was subsequently reunited with his family.
The Joint Task Force said it remained committed to denying terrorists freedom of movement and creating safer conditions for communities across its area of operations. The Theatre Command also urged members of the public to stay alert and share timely, credible information with security forces to help restore lasting peace across the region.
Read the Nigerian Army’s full statement below via its X post here.
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Terrorists kidnap, kill 106 health workers
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that armed groups, criminal kidnappers, and terrorists abducted 91 health workers and killed 15 others across 101 separate attacks on Nigerian healthcare facilities between 2023 and 2025, according to a new international report.
The figures come from the ‘Care in the Crosshairs: Violence Against Health Care in Conflict 2025’ report, published by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition. The data was compiled using Insecurity Insight’s global monitoring system and covers incidents across the three-year window.
Source: Legit.ng