Officials in Nigeria have confirmed that the Nigerian Air Force successfully rescued 76 kidnap victims, including women and children, following a precision airstrike on a bandit stronghold at Pauwa Hill in Katsina State. The operation targeted a gang led by a notorious figure known as Babaro, who has been linked to last week’s attack on a local mosque.
Tragically, at least one child died during the rescue operation. Authorities have not disclosed whether there were additional casualties among the kidnapped victims or the gang members.
The raid is seen as a significant step in the fight against criminal networks that have long terrorized rural communities in north-west Nigeria. It comes amid an intensified campaign by the Nigerian military, which earlier this month reported killing at least 35 Islamic fighters near the Cameroon border. Over the past eight months, security forces have neutralized nearly 600 armed militia members, signaling a determined push to restore stability in affected regions.