Troops of the Nigerian Army, the land force of Nigeria’s military, have stopped a bandit raid in the Maraban Rido area of Kaduna State in north-west Nigeria, killing one suspected violent extremist and recovering livestock said to have been stolen.
In a statement released on Saturday, 24 January 2026, Captain Bello Nuradeen, Acting Staff Officer Grade 2 for Community Relations at the Army Public Relations unit of 1 Division and Sector 1 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, said the troops acted after a distress call late on Thursday, 22 January 2026, reporting that armed men had rustled livestock in Anguwan Fulan village.
Okay News reports that soldiers quickly moved to the area and set up an ambush, then engaged the fleeing attackers when they arrived.
“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, troops deployed to the area to conduct a hasty ambush. Upon arrival, troops made contact with the fleeing bandits and engaged them with superior firepower, forcing the criminals to withdraw in disarray,” the statement said.
The troops were said to have chased the suspects into nearby forested routes, including Kankomi forest, and later met them again around a suspected crossing point near Anguwan Sarki. The statement added that the pressure from the soldiers forced the attackers to abandon part of their loot, leading to the recovery of some of the rustled animals.
The Army said follow-up operations in the early hours of Friday, 23 January 2026, led to the killing of one suspected terrorist. It added that troops recovered two AK-47 rifles, four magazines, and 15 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
Major General Abubakar Sadiq Wase, the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander of Sector 1 Operation FANSAN YAMMA, praised the troops for what he described as bravery and professionalism. He urged them to keep up the pace in tracking criminals to their hideouts, reassured residents of the Army’s commitment to protecting lives and property, and asked the public to share timely and credible information with security agencies.
