The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander, Sector 2, Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Major General Bemgha Koughna, has successfully foiled a deadly ambush by suspected Lakurawa terrorist group near Mayama Hill in Kebbi State.

According to a press release issued on February 23, 2026, and signed by Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division, the attack occurred as the GOC’s convoy was en route to visit frontline troops deployed in the state.

The statement said the convoy, while moving through a volatile forested terrain, came under sudden and heavy gunfire from armed terrorists. Troops accompanying the GOC responded swiftly with what was described as overwhelming firepower, neutralising five of the attackers and repelling the ambush.

The Army noted that the successful counter-ambush not only secured the convoy but also disrupted the terrorists’ operational plans, sending a strong deterrent message to insurgent groups operating in the area and threatening local communities.

Following the encounter, troops conducted a thorough sweep of the scene and recovered a cache of weapons and other items. The recovered exhibits include one OJC gun, one PKT machine gun, two AK-47 rifles and four AK-47 magazines. Others are one bandolier of PKT ammunition, several rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, a camel bag containing ₦840,000, two mobile phones and five motorcycles.

The statement added that troops remain deployed in the general area, maintaining vigilance and operational dominance to forestall further attacks.

The operation, the Army said, underscores the commitment of the 8 Division Nigerian Army and Sector 2 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA to protect civilians and eliminate terrorist threats across the North West region.

Two soldiers attached to the 33 Artillery Brigade and a vigilante have been killed following an attack by bandits on a Joint Task Force (JTF) base in Gwana District of Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The assailants also abducted three members of the community during the incident.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Bauchi State Police Command, Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday. He said the attack occurred on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at about 4:32 p.m.

According to Habib, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) responded swiftly and engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle. During the exchange, seven of the attackers were neutralised.

He confirmed that despite the security response, two soldiers from the 33 Artillery Brigade and a member of the local vigilante group lost their lives in the confrontation. The bandits also succeeded in kidnapping three residents of the community before fleeing the scene.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has since directed the immediate deployment of additional security personnel to the affected area to restore order, protect displaced civilians and prevent further attacks.

Habib added that monitoring and intelligence-gathering efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects, as well as to secure the safe rescue of the abducted victims.

Fresh violence rocked Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday night as armed bandits launched coordinated attacks on Jol community and Dorowa Babuje (Rob District), killing at least ten persons between 8:00pm and 9:00pm, local leaders have confirmed.

The National President of the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYMA), Barrister Solomon Dalyop, who spoke in a phone interview with Channels Television Correspondent in Jos, said nine people were killed in Dorowa Babuje, while one person lost his life in Jol during the separate but near-simultaneous attacks.

According to Dalyop, the assailants who attacked Jol arrived on motorcycles from the Manga axis, despite early warnings issued to security agencies about possible movement in the area. He explained that personnel of Operation Rainbow, Plateau State’s security outfit, were already on ground and succeeded in repelling the attackers, limiting casualties.

In Dorowa Babuje, Dalyop said the attackers emerged from the Jong-Wereh area, where they were believed to have been camping for some time.

He noted that the military was promptly informed and responded swiftly, a move he said prevented the death toll from rising further.

The latest killings add to a disturbing pattern of repeated attacks in Riyom, one of Plateau State’s most volatile flashpoints, where farming communities have endured cycles of night raids, ambushes, and displacement in recent months.

Community leaders say the persistence of attacks, often carried out after dark and along known routes, underscores the need for stronger surveillance, proactive patrols, and the dismantling of suspected camps in surrounding forests.

Residents of Jol and Dorowa Babuje are now gripped by fear, as families mourn their dead and demand sustained security presence to prevent further bloodshed.

Meanwhile, local youth groups and community leaders have renewed calls on the federal and state governments to move beyond reactive responses and adopt long-term security and peacebuilding measures for Riyom and neighbouring communities.