Thirty-two abducted victims have been rescued by the Nigerian Army during a search-and-rescue operation in Katsina State.

The Information Officer of Operation Hadarin Daji, Yahaya Ibrahim, in a statement on Tuesday, disclosed that the troops also killed two suspected terrorists during the operation on Saturday.

Ibrahim stated that the troops engaged the terrorists in a gun duel which led to the death of two suspected terrorists while others fled with injuries.

He said, “In continuation with the series of simultaneous well coordinated clearance operations in its areas of operational responsibilities in the North West which has continued to yield tremendous successes, troops of the Joint Task Force North West Operation Hadarin Daji operating in Katsina State have rescued 35 kidnapped victims and neutralised two terrorists in Katsina State in a search and rescue operation.

“The feat was achieved on January 27, 2024, during a clearance operation to some identified terrorist camps at Dumburum forest. During the operation, troops had an encounter with the armed terrorists, neutralising two of the terrorists while others escaped with severe gunshot wounds.”

He added that the rescued kidnapped victims including 19 male adults, 12 female adults, and four children were handed over to the Katsina State Government by the Commander, 17 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 2 Operation Hadarin Daji, Brigadier General OA Fadairo.

Fadairo was said to have pledged to continue the attack on the terrorists’ enclaves.

PUNCH Online reported on January 4 that troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation Hadarin Daji, have neutralised 10 terrorists and rescued nine kidnapped victims between Zamfara and Katsina States.

They also recovered arms and ammunition including operational motorcycles and communication gadgets.

Similarly, the troops on December 23, 2023, rescued 52 kidnap victims in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The rescued victims include 14 males, 32 females and six children who will undergo medical check-ups, debrief and hand over to appropriate authorities to reunite them with their families.”

In a related development on November 23, 2023, the same troop rescued 31 kidnapped persons in different areas of Sokoto State.

The army disclosed that the troops, under the command of the General Officer Commanding 8 Division Nigerian Army, Sokoto, Major General Godwin Mutkut, have continued to intensify the onslaught and conducted a series of clearance operations to terrorist enclaves in its areas of operations in the North West.