Sokoto Police Rescue Two Kidnap Victims, Set Bandits’ Camps Ablaze in Yabo
By Fahad Faruk Galadanchi
The Sokoto State Police Command has rescued two kidnapped persons and destroyed several suspected bandits’ camps during a coordinated security operation in Yabo Local Government Area.
The operation took place in the early hours of Monday, November 9, 2026 at Dan Tafki village and the surrounding hills opposite Binji Musa in the local government area.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, saying the operation was launched following intelligence reports indicating the presence of armed bandits and their captives in the area.
He said the operation was led by the Commander of the 7 Police Mobile Force (7PMF with support from personnel of the Violent Crime Response Unit VCRU, Anti-Kidnapping Unit and Yabo Division.
According to the police spokesman, the security operatives encountered fierce resistance upon reaching the area, resulting in a gun battle that lasted several hours.
He said the operatives eventually overpowered the bandits, forcing them to flee and abandon their captives.
The rescued victims were identified as Nafisa Abubakar and Aminu Sahabi, both residents of Dono village. They were subsequently taken to a hospital for medical attention and psychological support.
Rufai added that the operatives also destroyed the bandits’ operational facilities, including silos and several hideouts, by setting them ablaze.
The Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, praised the personnel for their courage and effective coordination, assuring the public that the command would intensify intelligence-led operations to tackle banditry and kidnapping.
The command further disclosed that efforts were underway to apprehend the fleeing suspects and destroy their remaining criminal infrastructure.
It urged residents, traditional leaders and other community stakeholders to support security agencies with timely and credible information that could assist ongoing operations.
