In a major counter-banditry breakthrough, the Nigerian Armed Forces have freed at least 76 people who were abducted by heavily armed criminal groups in Katsina State, North-West Nigeria.
The victims, many of whom were women and children, were rescued on Saturday during an operation launched at Pauwa Hill in the Kankara Local Government Area. However, the authorities confirmed that one child tragically lost his life during the rescue.
According to the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security, Nasir Mu’azu, the success followed a targeted airstrike on a “notorious bandit kingpin” and his gang. The same gang was allegedly behind the attack on a mosque and nearby villages last Tuesday, where about 50 people were killed.
Mu’azu disclosed: “The operation successfully rescued 76 kidnapped people, including women and children. However, it was regrettably noted that one child tragically lost his life during the ordeal.”
Though the operation secured dozens of lives, no official details were given on casualties among the armed criminals. Previous incidents in the region have sparked controversy, with some families disputing official claims and alleging they paid ransom for the release of loved ones.
Banditry, rooted in longstanding disputes between farmers and herders over land and water, has evolved into organized criminal activity. Kidnapping, cattle rustling, and extortion have become lucrative trades across northwestern and central Nigeria.
Security analysts warn that these gangs, though financially motivated, have increasingly formed pragmatic ties with jihadist groups operating from the northeast, raising concerns about national security.