By SUNTV Global | January 20, 2026
Troops of the Nigerian Army under Operation FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY) have recorded another major success in the fight against terrorism in the North-West, neutralising four terrorists, arresting three suspected collaborators, and recovering a cache of weapons during coordinated operations in Zamfara State.
According to an official Army statement, the operations were carried out between January 17 and 19, 2026, by troops of Sector 2 OPFY, working alongside the OPFY Mobile Strike Team and the DIA Tactical Support Team in Birnin Magaji and Anka Local Government Areas.
The Army confirmed that three suspects — Isiya Kwakwatawa, Ibrahim Dan Musulu, and Makau Lamba Goma — were arrested, while four terrorists were neutralised during intense engagements. Other members of the terror group reportedly fled into surrounding forests under heavy military pressure.
During the operations, troops recovered several dangerous items, including one PKT machine gun, five AK-47 rifles, three AK-47 magazines, multiple rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, Baofeng communication radios, and three motorcycles believed to be used for terror activities.
The Army further disclosed that on January 19, 2026, troops responded “heroically” to a terrorist ambush along the Bingi–Kekun Waje–Gusau Road, where personnel displayed what the military described as “exceptional bravery, professionalism, and resilience” despite hostile fire.
Operation FANSAN YAMMA remains a key component of ongoing military efforts to dismantle terrorist and bandit networks across the North-West, particularly in Zamfara State, which has suffered repeated attacks in recent months.
Meanwhile, the military also confirmed a tragic incident earlier in the week in which no fewer than five security personnel, including Inspector Aliyu Ibrahim of 1 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Kaduna, lost their lives during a separate ambush by terrorists.
A statement from 1 PMF Kaduna, attached to OPFY in Gusau, revealed that the officers were on pass and travelling from Bingi Kwatarkwashi to Gusau when they were ambushed at Gidan Goni Village via Kwatarkwashi.
The statement said Inspector Ibrahim and five soldiers were shot dead, while several other personnel sustained injuries. The injured were rushed to Yeriman Bakura Specialist Hospital, Gusau, for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the hospital morgue.
“The squadron is coordinating with the police component of OPFY in Gusau to convey the remains to Kaduna for a befitting burial,” the statement added.
SUNTV Global will continue to monitor and report developments in the ongoing security operations across Zamfara and the wider North-West region.
