Nigerian Army Rescues 11 Kidnapped Residents in Danko-Wasagu, Kebbi

11 kidnapped victims have been rescued in Kebbi State, northwest Nigeria, after the military thwarted a terrorist ambush in the state.

The operation was led by troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation Fansan Yamma, in separate encounters between October 30 and October 31, 2026, across Ribah town and the Wasagu-Falfala general area within the Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area.

According to an official statement released on Sunday by Captain Tamuno Sinivie, the Acting Media Information Officer for the Joint Task Force, the first intervention occurred on October 30, 2026, after troops from Sector 2 responded to a distress call alerting them that suspected terrorists had blocked the busy Ribah-Dirindaji road in a brazen attempt to invade Ribah town.

Upon arriving at the scene, soldiers discovered that the criminal elements had already fled into the bush, taking seven residents captive.

The military immediately launched a pursuit toward Rambo village, forcing the terrorists to abandon their captives and flee.

Seven victims, all indigenes of Ribah town, were reached, with their identities given as Sa’adu Bala, Nura Musa, Dantami Yahyi, Nasiru Muhammad, Abdulakeem Abubakar, Abdulahi Maikudi, and Zaki Gambo.

The military confirmed that all seven individuals have since been safely reunited with their respective families.

The second encounter took place on October 31, 2026, while Sector 2 troops were conducting a routine security patrol in the Wasagu-Falfala area to safeguard local communities.

During the patrol, the troops came under heavy gunfire after running into an ambush laid by terrorists along the route but engaged the attackers in a firefight, leading to the rescue of four additional kidnapped victims who had been abandoned by the terrorists in the heat of the firefight.

The military has reassured the public that troops are maintaining a strong presence to dominate the general area.