At least 76 kidnap victims, including women and children, have been freed by Nigerian troops following a military raid on a bandit camp in northwestern Katsina State, authorities confirmed on Saturday.
The rescue mission was launched at Pauwa Hill in Kankara Local Government Area after a precision air strike targeted a “notorious bandit kingpin” and his gang. According to Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security, Nasir Mu’azu, the operation followed a deadly attack earlier in the week on a mosque and nearby villages that left 50 people dead.
“Seventy-six kidnapped persons, mostly women and children, were successfully rescued. However, it was regrettably noted that one child tragically lost his life during the ordeal,” Mu’azu said in a statement.
Officials provided no details on casualties among the bandits. In past incidents, families of kidnap victims have challenged official rescue claims, alleging they were forced to pay ransoms for their relatives’ release.
The northwest and central regions of Nigeria have faced years of violence from heavily armed gangs who raid rural communities, abduct villagers, extort farmers, and steal cattle. While these groups are primarily motivated by financial gain, analysts warn of increasing cooperation between bandits and jihadist groups operating in the northeast.
