A joint security team has successfully liberated 17 abducted passengers, predominantly males, from the grip of violent extremists in the Solar General Area of Batsari Local Government Area in Katsina State.
According to a military source, the operation was prompted by a distress call received on May 11, 2024, around noon. Responding swiftly, Nigerian Army Team 9 Troops, in collaboration with the Katsina Police Command, State Community Watch Corps, Special Hunters, and local hunters from Batsari, mobilized to the scene.
Upon arrival, the combined security forces engaged the violent extremists in a firefight, causing them to abandon their captives and flee into the nearby bush.
All abducted passengers were successfully rescued and handed over to officials of the Batsari Local Government Area, as confirmed by the military source.
In a statement released on Sunday, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, the Chief Press Secretary to the Katsina Governor, reiterated the active deployment of troops in the general area of Katsina State to deter further criminal activities and ensure the safety of residents.