ABUJA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian troops rescued 23 victims of abduction during separate anti-terror operations across three local government areas in the country's northwestern Sokoto State, the military said Monday.
In a statement, Aliyu Danja, spokesperson for the military-led Joint Task Force in the northwest region, said the operations took place in the Wurno, Sabon-Birni and Isa local government areas on Sunday.
Four suspected members of the Lakurawa terror group were arrested after troops responded to a distress call and repelled an attack in Sabon Gari, a community in the Wurno area, where terrorists allegedly opened sporadic fire, forcing residents to flee in panic.
In the Sabon-Birni area, troops conducted an intelligence-led raid against suspected terrorists who were allegedly moving from one location to another, Danja said.
The operations demonstrated the effectiveness of proactive, intelligence-driven military raids in disrupting terrorist activities and rescuing abducted victims, Danja said, adding that Nigerian troops would continue to put pressure on terrorist groups and protect communities within their area of responsibility.
