Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 1 Brigade, operating under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have arrested three suspected arms traffickers and rescued six civilians during separate operations in Zamfara State.
The operations took place along the Kauran Namoda–Shinkafi and Anka–Gummi corridors on Sunday, August 23, 2026, according to the Army.
Military authorities said an AK-103-2 rifle, ammunition and other items were recovered during the operations.
The Army said troops conducting a stop-and-search operation along the Kauran Namoda–Shinkafi Road at about 2:05 p.m. intercepted a Volkswagen Golf wagon with registration number BMJ-143AA.
A search of the vehicle reportedly led to the discovery of an AK-103-2 rifle and concealed ammunition.
Three occupants were arrested in connection with the discovery. They were identified by the Army as 20-year-old Lukman Sulaiman, 18-year-old Nafiu Isa and 60-year-old Adamu Lawali, the driver of the vehicle.
The Army said Sulaiman and Isa are from Yar-Galadima in Dan-Sadau District, while Lawali was identified as the vehicle’s driver.
In a separate operation about 25 minutes later, troops stationed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Anka reportedly detected an attack along the Anka–Gummi route.
According to the military, surveillance personnel observed armed men carrying out an ambush at Gadan Manya, prompting the immediate deployment of troops to the area.
The soldiers engaged the attackers in a gun battle, forcing them to abandon six victims and flee into nearby forest areas.
The rescued civilians were subsequently evacuated to General Hospital, Anka, for medical attention.
The Army said three of the victims sustained minor injuries during the incident but were in stable condition.
The latest operations form part of ongoing military efforts to disrupt the movement of weapons and criminal groups operating across Zamfara and other parts of the North-West.
Army authorities said patrols and surveillance activities have been intensified around the Anka, Shinkafi and Gummi axes to restrict the movement of armed groups and improve security along major transportation routes.
The military also urged residents to continue providing security agencies with relevant information that could assist ongoing operations against banditry and other criminal activities in the region.