Troops operating under the Joint Task Force North West have killed a high-profile terrorist commander during intensified military operations spanning Zamfara and Katsina states. Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, media spokesman for Operation FANSAN YAMMA, announced the developments in a statement released on July 7, 2026.
Soldiers from Sector 2 intercepted a group of militants preparing to assault villages in Kaura Namoda local government area after receiving intelligence tips. Working with community defence volunteers, the troops engaged the fighters in combat and drove them back, inflicting casualties on the attackers.
In a separate engagement near Dogon Kade, the military eliminated Alhaji Tukur, identified as a senior terrorist operative. Tukur was the younger sibling of Alhaji Shehu Bagiwaye, a prominent insurgent leader, according to the statement.
Another operation around Sabon Gari in Kaura Namoda saw troops kill one suspected militant who abandoned his attack after spotting approaching soldiers. The troops also recovered a motorcycle the fleeing suspects had abandoned.
Fighting patrols in Katsina's Danmusa local government area engaged suspected terrorists along the Danmusa–Yantumaki route. The militants fled the scene as troops recovered two AK-47 rifles, two loaded magazines containing 25 rounds each, and another motorcycle.
The air component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA struck a much larger target in Zamfara. Aircraft spotted roughly 300 militants travelling in convoy on motorcycles between Sunke-Kumbo and the Bayazaki river region in Gummi.
When the fighters attempted to seek shelter on seeing the jets approaching, the air force unleashed precision strikes against them. The military said the airstrikes prevented what would have been a significant attack on civilian populations.
"The Joint Task Force North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA remains resolute in sustaining offensive operations against terrorist and criminal elements across the theatre," the statement read. It added that the force would continue protecting communities and denying insurgents operational space throughout the region.
The military reaffirmed its commitment to restoring peace and security while safeguarding civilians' lives and economic activities. The latest operations mark part of the broader effort to counter militant activities destabilising the North West.
