76 Kidnap Victims Freed in NAF Rescue Operation
The Nigerian Air Force has successfully rescued 76 kidnap victims of a bandit stronghold in northwest, Katsina State. The operation, carried out on Saturday, targeted Pauwa Hill in Kankara Local Government Area, where security forces had been tracking notorious gang leader Babaro. Babaro is linked to last week’s deadly mosque attack in Malumfashi, which left at least 27 worshippers dead.
The air strike, described as “precision,” forced the bandits to flee, allowing the victims to escape. Unfortunately, one child died during the rescue, although it’s unclear if there were other casualties among the abductees or gang members. The Nigerian Air Force hasn’t issued an official statement on the operation.
This daring rescue marks a significant breakthrough in efforts to dismantle criminal networks in northwest Nigeria, where armed gangs have terrorized rural communities for years, orchestrating mass kidnappings, extortion, and violent raids.
The Katsina State Ministry of Internal Security reported the rescue, highlighting the government’s intensified counter-insurgency and anti-banditry campaign, with a growing reliance on air power to disrupt entrenched criminal cells operating in remote areas.
