By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
A late-night distress call in Southern Kaduna triggered a swift military response that ended in gunfire, a foiled bandit raid and the neutralization of a suspected terrorist, underscoring the Nigerian Army’s increasingly aggressive posture against armed groups terrorising rural communities.
Troops of 1 Division, Sector 1 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA moved decisively on January 22, 2026, after receiving intelligence that armed bandits had struck Anguwan Fulan village in the Maraban Rido axis, rustling livestock and fleeing into nearby forests.
The response was immediate.
Acting on real-time information, soldiers deployed to the area and laid a hasty ambush along suspected escape routes.
Moments later, contact was made.
The troops engaged the fleeing bandits with superior firepower, disrupting their movement and forcing them to retreat in disarray, several reportedly nursing gunshot wounds.
What followed was a relentless pursuit.
Rather than disengage, the troops pushed deep into surrounding forested terrain, extending the operation into known criminal hideouts, including the Kankomi forest, a notorious corridor for bandit movement in the area.
It was during this aggressive exploitation that the soldiers made another contact at a suspected crossing point near Anguwan Sarki.
In the ensuing exchange, one suspected violent extremist was neutralised, effectively halting the group’s escape and preventing further attacks on nearby communities.
Military sources say the operation not only disrupted a live criminal operation but also sent a clear message to armed groups operating around the Kaduna-Abuja corridor: response time is shrinking, and escape routes are no longer safe.
The Maraban Rido axis has in recent years been a flashpoint for banditry, livestock rustling and violent attacks on rural settlements.
Security analysts note that the speed and coordination displayed by troops during the operation reflect a shift toward intelligence-led, rapid-response tactics under Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
While clearance operations in the area are ongoing, residents say the intervention brought immediate relief, averting what could have escalated into a wider attack under the cover of darkness.
As Nigeria’s security forces intensify pressure across the North-West and North-Central regions, the Kaduna encounter stands as another indication that the battlefield is becoming increasingly hostile for armed groups even in terrain they once considered safe.
