Nigerian Air Force rescues 76 hostages after striking bandit hideout in Katsina
Nigeria's government has relied heavily on airstrikes, military raids and the deployment of special forces to curb the rising attacks.
The Nigerian Air Force rescued 76 people, including women and children, following an operation targeting a bandit hideout in Katsina State.
Reports indicate that the victims were freed after fighter jets struck the hideout on Pauwa Hill in Kankara Local Government Area on Saturday.
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According to Reuters, the attack was targeting a notorious gang leader named Babaro, who was linked to last week's deadly mosque attack in Malumfashi that left at least 50 dead and more than 60 others abducted.
The development comes amid a surge in bandit violence across Nigeria, where armed groups have stepped up mass kidnappings and village raids despite repeated government crackdowns.
Nigeria's government has relied heavily on airstrikes, military raids and the deployment of special forces to curb the rising attacks.
On Saturday, for instance, at least 35 fighters were killed in Nigerian air force strikes near the Cameroon border.
Air Force spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame said fighter jets struck four locations where militants had assembled, acting on intelligence that the group was planning an attack on soldiers.
Ground troops later regained contact and confirmed the sites had been neutralised and secured.
Similarly, Nigerian officials reported last week that over 590 insurgent fighters had been killed in the past eight months, a figure they say is higher than the gains recorded in 2024.
The mission saw air raids carried out both during the day and at night, targeting several insurgent hotspots in the state, such as Gonori, Rann, Dikwa, Damboa, Azir, and Mallam Fatori
In the same period, the Nigerian Air Force destroyed more than 200 vehicles and 166 logistics hubs used by the insurgents.
According to Chief of Air Staff Hassan Abubakar, the offensive is critical to securing vulnerable communities and ensuring freedom of movement for civilians and security forces in the northeast.
"This year, our air war is faster, sharper and more surgical. We are taking out high-value targets, crippling logistics networks and dismantling cells that threaten peace in the northeast," he said in a past statement.
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