Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have intercepted a suspected explosives courier carrying 180 units of 20mm Super Power explosives in Zamfara State.
The suspect, identified as 57-year-old Sani Umar, was intercepted on Friday, August 14, 2026, during routine vehicle checks by troops of Sector 2.
The military said Umar was allegedly transporting the explosives from Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara to suspected terrorist elements operating in Jibia Local Government Area of neighbouring Katsina State.
According to the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, a search of Umar’s vehicle led to the discovery of the explosives.
“The suspect, vehicle and recovered explosives are currently in custody for further investigation,” the military said.
The interception took place as troops were also conducting offensive operations against terrorist elements in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara.
During the operation around Garin Kaso, troops engaged suspected terrorists in a fierce firefight, killing two and recovering two rifles, two magazines, nine rounds of ammunition and two motorcycles.
The Army said another group of terrorists subsequently attempted to ambush the troops from concealed positions.
The soldiers repelled the attack and inflicted further casualties on the terrorists, forcing surviving members to flee the area.
The exact number of casualties from the second encounter was not immediately established.
However, the military said reports from communities in the area indicated that several wounded terrorists, alongside the bodies of some of their colleagues, were evacuated by fleeing members of the group.
The latest operations underline the military’s continued focus on both terrorist strongholds and the logistics networks that supply them with weapons, explosives and other resources.
The interception of the explosives during a routine vehicle check also highlights the importance of road interdiction in disrupting suspected supply chains operating between communities in the North-West.
Operation FANSAN YAMMA has continued offensive operations against terrorist and criminal groups across the region, with troops targeting camps, movement routes and logistical networks used to sustain attacks.
The Theatre Command said it would sustain the momentum of ongoing operations to disrupt terrorist activities and deny terrorists and other criminal elements freedom of action across the North-West.
Umar, his vehicle and the recovered explosives remain in custody as investigations continue.
