No fewer than 14 kidnap victims have been rescued by the Operation Fansan Yamma (OPFY) troops following an operation against bandits at Horo Birni Village in Shagari Local Council Area of Sokoto State.

In another development, 17 family members of the Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered to troops of the Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) in Konduga and Bama local councils of Borno State.

The military said 16 of them surrendered in the Konduga area, while one other surrendered in the Bama Local Council of the state.

Meanwhile, reliable military sources said the OPFY operation in Sokoto was carried out on Tuesday, after troops of the 8 Division Strike Team, Forward Operating Base (FOB) Sifawa received credible intelligence on the bandits’ activities in the axis.

According to the source, the bandits had attacked the community and were fleeing with the abductees and rustled cattle when the troops swiftly countered them and overpowered them, forcing the terrorists to abandon their victims and run into the forest.

The source disclosed that, consequently, the troops further combed the general area and rescued 14 victims and the rustled cattle.

Acting OPHK Media Information Officer, Capt. Muhammed Goni disclosed yesterday in Maiduguri that the surrendered relatives were undergoing preliminary profiling and debriefing in military custody.

“Sustained offensive by troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) has continued to exert significant pressure on terrorist elements operating across the North-East theatre, resulting in the voluntary surrender of 17 family members of Jama’atuAhlis Sunna Lidda’awatiwal-Jihad (JAS) in separate incidents in Borno state,” he stated.

According to him, in the first incident at about 9:15 a.m. on August 4, 2026, 16 JAS family members, comprising 10 women and six children, voluntarily surrendered to troops of the 222 Battalion during a domination patrol along the Gezuwa axis in Konduga Local Council Area.

During preliminary debriefing, Goni said the surrendered individuals disclosed that sustained military pressure on terrorist enclaves significantly influenced their decision to surrender. He added that “a total sum of N92,000 was recovered from the group during the interrogation process.”

In a similar operation at about 12:04 p.m. on the same day, an 11-year-old JAS family member voluntarily surrendered to troops of the 202 Battalion under Sector 1 in Bama Local Council, he added.

Goni said the surrendered individuals were currently in military custody, undergoing preliminary profiling and debriefing.