Troops of Operation Fansan Yamma have recovered a large herd of rustled cattle after intercepting suspected terrorists fleeing Asarara Kaura community in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The troops reportedly acted on credible intelligence and intercepted the suspected terrorists along the Tambuwal–Gadaichi–Gummi axis on Monday morning.
During the encounter, the suspects engaged the troops in a gun battle before retreating into the surrounding bushes with gunshot wounds, abandoning the cattle.
A military source familiar with the operation confirmed the development, saying the troops responded swiftly after receiving intelligence about the movement of the suspected terrorists and the rustled livestock.
“The troops responded to credible intelligence and intercepted the terrorists along the Tambuwal–Gadaichi–Gummi axis.
“They engaged the troops but were forced to flee into the bushes, some of them sustaining gunshot wounds. They abandoned the cattle while escaping,” the source said.
The source said the recovered livestock had been taken into military custody pending verification of ownership.
“The cattle will be handed over to the rightful owners after proper verification. The objective is to ensure that the recovered livestock gets back to the affected communities,” he added.
The recovery is expected to provide relief to residents of the affected communities, where cattle rustling has continued to affect livelihoods.
The operation also highlights ongoing efforts by troops of Operation Fansan Yamma to disrupt criminal activities and recover property seized by terrorists and other criminal elements across the North-West.
