Nigerian Army troops, Mobile Police Force personnel, and the Air Component of Joint Task Force Operation FANSAN YAMMA are currently engaged in a coordinated operation against a large armed bandit group along the Zamfara-Kebbi border, the army has confirmed.
As reported on Monday, August 10, by Daily Trust, the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for 8 Division, Nigerian Army/Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, confirmed the development, stating that the operation was still ongoing and further details would be released once it concluded.
Operation Details
The troops involved are drawn from the COAS Intervention Battalion 3 under 8 Division of the Nigerian Army. Security sources indicate that approximately 240 armed men entered the area through the Sangeko Gap in Zamfara State before pushing towards Makuku town in Kebbi State. The group travelled on motorcycles and split into three separate formations as they moved deeper into the border zone.
Ground forces, police personnel, and aerial assets from Operation FANSAN YAMMA are working together to block the bandits from reaching surrounding communities and to cut off their movement across the border axis.
Residents Flee Amid Tension
The scale of the incursion has alarmed communities near the confrontation zone, with some residents leaving their homes and relocating to safer areas while the operation continues. Security agencies have advised residents to remain alert and follow instructions from security personnel on the ground.
The operation is unfolding against a backdrop of sustained military activity across Nigeria's North-West region, where security forces have been working to break up bandit networks, free kidnapping victims, and restore order to affected communities.
Background: Violence Against Health Workers
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that armed groups, criminal kidnappers, and jihadist fighters abducted 91 health workers and killed 15 others across 101 separate attacks on Nigerian healthcare facilities between 2023 and 2025, according to a new international report. The figures come from the 'Care in the Crosshairs: Violence Against Health Care in Conflict 2025' report, published by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition. The data was compiled using Insecurity Insight's global monitoring system and covers incidents across the three-year window.
