Operation FANSAN YANMA: Reclaiming the Northwest from Terror By Zagazola Makama
In a remarkable demonstration of strategic resolve and operational efficiency, the Nigerian Army is recording significant breakthroughs in the fight against banditry and terrorism across the Northwest. Operating under Operation FANSAN YANMA and bolstered by multi-agency collaboration, troops have substantially degraded the operational capabilities of criminal syndicates terrorizing Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, and Kebbi states.
During a recent media briefing at the headquarters of the Nigerian Army’s 8 Division and Sector-2 in Sokoto, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Major General Ibikunle Ajose, detailed the operational milestones achieved by his troops in recent months. These milestones, he emphasized, underscore the Army’s unwavering commitment to restoring peace and securing communities.
According to the GOC, troops have recovered a formidable cache of arms and ammunition, including 114 AK-47 rifles, 3,351 rounds of ammunition, three QJC guns, six PKT guns, nine RPG tubes, three GPMGs, three Dushka machine guns, three G3 rifles, five pistols, one M96 Beryl rifle, 132 AK-47 magazines, 101 60mm mortar bombs, 40 dane guns, 208 motorcycles, and 3,212 rustled livestock.
General Ajose attributed these successes to the coordinated efforts of frontline troops and the strategic support from the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede. He noted that despite the fluid and often unpredictable threat landscape, the joint operations covering the four states remain firmly under control.
Over the past several months, troops have targeted and eliminated key bandit and terrorist figures. Notorious leaders such as Yusuf Yellow, Halilu Sububu, Bako Wurgi, Sani Black, Dan Isuhu, and Hassan Dantawaye have either been neutralized or forced into hiding. These decapitation strikes have disrupted the leadership structure of various criminal groups.
Ajose also disclosed the arrest of numerous suspected terrorists attempting to regroup and re-strategize, as well as the continued offensive posture of troops who are dominating the battlespace and preventing attacks on communities.
He highlighted a range of ongoing missions, including Operation Secure Main Supply Route, Operation Forest Sanity III, Operation Chase Lawurawa Out, and Operation Secure Superhighway Ilela-Badagry, which have maintained pressure on terrorist elements and safeguarded critical infrastructure.
A particularly significant achievement has been the sustained clearance operations in the so-called “Lakurawa enclaves”—notorious strongholds for bandit groups. Ajose noted that 32 clearance operations have been successfully conducted across locations such as Ilelah, Tangaza, Gudu, and Silame in Sokoto, as well as Augi and surrounding areas in Kebbi State. These efforts are gradually reclaiming territories long held hostage by armed criminals.
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One of the Army’s top priorities remains the protection of strategic infrastructure, especially the Sokoto-Kebbi Waterway and its surrounding corridors. A specially constituted joint task force comprising personnel from the Army, Police, Department of State Services (DSS), and other agencies has ensured uninterrupted security along the 408-kilometer stretch—an achievement made possible through improved intelligence sharing, logistical support, and morale-boosting initiatives such as increased allowances for troops.
“In the last two months, we have not recorded any attack on our settlements. Our troops have maintained an offensive posture. We take the fight to them, pursue them wherever they are, and destroy their enclaves,” Ajose asserted.
Under the directive of Defence Headquarters, Operation FANSAN YANMA has become the backbone of kinetic operations in the region. Ajose described the deliberate incursions into major terrorist enclaves as producing “unintended but highly favourable outcomes” in degrading enemy capabilities and stabilizing affected communities.
While Operation FANSAN YANMA curtails terrorist freedom of movement, Operation Forest Sanity III targets logistics chains, supply routes, and remote hideouts to dismantle support networks. Ajose declared that the troops are now fully emboldened and resolute—armed with better equipment, superior intelligence, and daily morale support.
A standout among the subsidiary missions is Operation Secure Superhighway, which combines military foresight with development priorities. Recently restructured into a unified Joint Task Force under General Musa’s leadership, the operation integrates previous efforts such as Hadarin Daji and Whirl Punch, aiming to bolster inter-agency coordination and enhance operational effectiveness against resilient terrorist groups like the Lakurawas.
Ajose praised Defence Headquarters for recent morale-boosting measures, notably the increase in troops’ daily ration cash allowance from ₦1,000 to ₦3,000. “It may sound small to outsiders, but it has greatly improved morale and feeding. Armies march on their stomachs, as Napoleon said. We are ensuring this is implemented to the letter,” he stated.
He added that surveillance drones, protective gear, and new platforms are being deployed to enhance real-time reconnaissance and tactical superiority. Ajose also acknowledged the role of non-kinetic strategies, including the Operation Safe Corridor initiative, which fosters reconciliation, community engagement, and reintegration of repentant combatants, with support from state governments.
“Every day, we improve—in equipment, intelligence, and troop welfare. And every day, our resolve deepens,” he said.
While celebrating the recent gains, Ajose paid solemn tribute to fallen heroes. “Yes, we’ve had challenges. Some of our troops have paid the supreme price. Others are recuperating in hospitals. We honour them—and we fight on in their name.”
He reaffirmed the commitment of Operation FANSAN YANMA to restoring peace and security in the Northwest and called for continued collaboration with local communities and stakeholders to consolidate gains and ensure long-term stability.
Zagazola Makama is a Counterterrorism Expert and Security Analyst covering the Lake Chad Region.
