Nigerian troops conducting counter-terrorism operations in Sokoto State have dislodged suspected terrorist elements from hideouts in Tangaza Local Government Area, recovering firearms, ammunition, motorcycles and other items abandoned during the operation.
The clearance operation was carried out by troops of the Chief of Army Staff Special Intervention Battalion 7, Sector 2, under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, as part of sustained military efforts to dismantle terrorist enclaves and improve security across communities in the North-West.
According to the military, the operation focused on areas identified as terrorist threat locations within Tangaza Local Government Area. Troops advanced through Manu, Alkasim and Kandam villages before moving into the Magarya Forest axis, where they eventually made contact with the armed group.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the spokesman for Sector 2, 8 Division, Lt Col Olaniyi Osoba, said the encounter with the terrorists resulted in an exchange of fire as the troops pushed deeper into the forest.
Osoba said the soldiers responded with superior firepower, forcing the terrorist elements to abandon their positions and retreat into the forest. The military did not provide details of casualties from the encounter, but said the fleeing elements left behind weapons and other operational equipment.
“Upon making contact with the terrorists within the Magarya forest enclave, troops engaged the terrorist elements with superior firepower, forcing them to abandon their positions and flee into the deep forest,” the statement said.
Weapons and ammunition recovered
Following the firefight, troops remained in the area and launched follow-up operations designed to search the abandoned positions and prevent the fleeing elements from returning to the location.
The subsequent search led to the recovery of a PKT machine gun and AK-47 rifles, alongside a large quantity of 7.62 x 54mm belted ammunition.
The recovery of the weapons is significant to the military operation because the firearms and ammunition could otherwise have remained available to the armed group for future attacks or other operations in the area.
In addition to the firearms and ammunition, troops recovered several motorcycles that were reportedly abandoned by the fleeing terrorists. Assorted logistical and miscellaneous items were also found during the search of the forest enclave.
The military said the motorcycles and other mobility assets were among the equipment recovered from the area after the terrorists withdrew from their positions.
According to the statement, the seizure of the weapons and mobility assets is expected to further weaken the operational capacity of the terrorist elements operating around the affected axis.
The operation therefore extended beyond the initial exchange of fire, with troops conducting a systematic search of the area after the armed elements had fled. The military said the follow-up action was aimed at exploiting the gains made during the encounter and denying the terrorists equipment they could use to regroup.
Troops maintain pressure in Tangaza
The operation forms part of the broader offensive activities being conducted under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, with troops targeting locations identified as terrorist enclaves in the North-West.
In Tangaza, the troops’ movement through Manu, Alkasim, Kandam and the Magarya Forest axis was intended to clear areas believed to be used by terrorist elements and strengthen military presence around surrounding communities.
The military said the operation had also reinforced its operational posture in the area, with troops continuing to maintain control and prevent the terrorists from reorganising after abandoning their positions.
Rather than withdrawing after the recovery of the weapons, the soldiers have maintained their presence in the general area, according to the statement issued by Sector 2.
The military said this continued presence is intended to deny the fleeing terrorists the opportunity to regroup and restore their positions in the affected locations.
The statement added that troops were maintaining operational dominance across the area as part of efforts to protect nearby communities and consolidate the gains of the clearance operation.
“The troops continue to dominate the general area to ensure the total security of surrounding communities,” Osoba said.
The military’s account did not state how many terrorist fighters were involved in the encounter, nor did it give details of casualties suffered by either side. It also did not identify the terrorist group involved.
However, the recovery of the PKT machine gun, AK-47 rifles, belted ammunition, motorcycles and other equipment provides the military with additional material evidence of the presence and activities of armed elements within the forest axis.
For communities around the affected locations, the continued military presence is expected to serve as a deterrent against the return of the fleeing elements and their possible attempts to establish new positions.
The operation also highlights the importance of follow-up clearance activities after armed groups abandon a location. By searching the area and recovering weapons and mobility assets, troops can reduce the resources available to fighters even when the individuals themselves escape into surrounding terrain.
The military said its forces would continue to dominate the general area to safeguard surrounding communities and prevent the terrorists from regrouping.
Operation FANSAN YAMMA remains focused on offensive operations against terrorist elements across the North-West, with the latest action in Tangaza representing another effort to clear identified enclaves and disrupt the movement and logistics of armed groups operating in the region.
For now, the military says troops remain in control of the operational area following the engagement at Magarya Forest and the subsequent recovery of weapons and other equipment abandoned by the fleeing terrorists.
Troops Raid Terrorist Hideouts in Sokoto, Recover PKT Machine Gun, AK-47s and Ammunition
