Troops Eliminate Scores of Terrorists in Zamfara

Troops from the Joint Task Force North West, under Operation Fansan Yamma, have successfully carried out a fighting patrol following a distress call from residents and vigilantes in Yar Galadima village, located in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The operation took place in the early hours of December 1, 2024, when troops from the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Hanutara were alerted at around 5 a.m. about an attack on the village by terrorists. According to a statement issued by the Coordinator of the Joint Media Coordination Centre for the operation, Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, the troops immediately responded to assist the community and restore peace.

During their patrol, the troops encountered terrorists who had set up ambushes at two locations on the approach to the village. The troops swiftly cleared the ambush sites, neutralizing some of the terrorists, while others fled. To support the ground forces, the Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma deployed aircraft to provide close air support. As the troops advanced toward the village, the fleeing terrorists were also targeted by the aircraft, resulting in further neutralization of terrorist forces.

Lieutenant Colonel Abdullahi emphasized that Operation Fansan Yamma remains fully committed to eliminating terrorist threats in the North West and Niger State, ensuring continued peace and security in the region.

Meanwhile, in health-related news, Junaidu Haliru Gwandu, the Director of Immunization and Disease Control at the Kebbi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, revealed that the state aims to vaccinate 595,000 children in the first phase of its malaria vaccination program. Dr. Walter Mulombo, the WHO Representative in Nigeria, expressed confidence that the R21 malaria vaccine, developed by Oxford University and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India and Novavax, would significantly reduce malaria cases in the country. Nigeria is one of the first nations to adopt the vaccine, which is aimed specifically at preventing malaria in children under five years old.

Malaria remains one of the deadliest diseases in Nigeria, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of children annually. Nigeria accounts for roughly 27% of the global malaria burden and 31% of the world’s malaria-related deaths.