MWE Correspondent
The Nigerian Air Force has rescued 76 people, including women and children, in a daring raid on a bandit hideout in Katsina State.
The operation, carried out on Saturday near Pauwa Hill, targeted a notorious gang led by a figure known as Babaro, authorities confirmed.
The precision airstrike struck deep into a forested enclave that has long served as a haven for heavily armed gangs, known locally as “bandits.” According to military officials, the hostages were freed after hours of coordinated bombardments and ground maneuvers. While the mission was largely successful, one child tragically lost their life during the rescue. Authorities have not confirmed whether additional casualties occurred among the captives or the gang members.
The raid followed closely on the heels of a massacre in Malumfashi, where armed men stormed a mosque during morning prayers last week, killing more than 50 worshippers. Investigators believe Babaro and his fighters orchestrated the brutal attack, which has drawn national and international outrage (see background).
For families in Katsina, a region that has long been scarred by abductions and violence, the operation was both a moment of relief and a reminder of the costs of conflict. Survivors described the overwhelming fear of captivity and the sudden thunder of jets overhead as the military descended. “We thought it was the end,” one rescued mother told local reporters. “But then we realized it was our freedom.”
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The rescue forms part of Nigeria’s broader military campaign against banditry and insurgency in the country’s troubled north. Armed groups, often operating from remote forests, have targeted rural villages with raids, kidnappings, and extortion for more than a decade (learn more).
Earlier this month, the Air Force reported that it killed at least 35 suspected Islamist fighters in the northeast, near the border with Cameroon. Over the last eight months, nearly 600 armed militants have been eliminated in a series of intensified operations, reflecting Abuja’s determination to restore stability across the region.
Security analysts say these coordinated strikes are beginning to weaken militant networks, though challenges remain. “Air raids can disrupt camps and free hostages, but the underlying conditions—poverty, weak governance, and porous borders—still fuel this cycle of violence,” said Dr. Ibrahim Sule, a defense researcher based in Kaduna.
While the successful liberation of hostages has been hailed as a victory, the tragedy of a child’s death during the raid underscores the human toll of Nigeria’s security crisis. Villagers in Katsina now hope that the government’s renewed focus on their plight will translate into lasting peace.
The struggle, however, is far from over. Bandit leaders such as Babaro remain at large, their networks fractured but not destroyed.
