Troops Flush Out Terrorists in Sokoto and Recover Weapons Cache

Nigerian troops say they pushed terrorist fighters out of a forest hideout in Sokoto State and recovered the weapons and equipment they left behind.

The operation involved the COAS Special Intervention Battalion 7, Sector 2 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA. Soldiers moved through Manu, Alkasim and Kandam villages before advancing into the Magarya forest axis in Tangaza Local Government Area, which security sources described as a major hideout for terrorists operating in Tangaza and nearby communities.

Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba said troops made contact with the fighters inside the forest and engaged them with superior firepower. The fighters abandoned their positions and fled deeper into the forest, after which soldiers carried out follow-up sweeps and searched the surrounding area.

The army said troops recovered one PKT general-purpose machine gun, AK-47 rifles and a large quantity of belted 7.62 x 54mm ammunition. They also found motorcycles and assorted logistical items used to support operations in the area. Osoba said the recovery of the heavy weapon and ammunition would reduce the group’s ability to attack nearby villages and move along border routes into Sokoto and neighboring states.

Operation FANSAN YAMMA was launched to consolidate military gains against banditry and terrorism across northwestern Nigeria. Sector 2 has intensified patrols and clearance missions across the Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina axis. Residents in Tangaza had raised concerns for months about attacks and armed men moving through forest corridors.

The military said the latest operation should ease pressure on communities in Manu, Alkasim, Kandam and other farming settlements. Troops are maintaining surveillance and fighting patrols, while officials prepare further cleanup operations and intelligence-led raids to track the fleeing terrorists.

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The troops engaged the insurgents with superior firepower, forcing them to abandon their positions and flee deeper into the forest in disarray.