By Gabriel Ameh
Troops of the Nigerian military have arrested a suspected terrorist at a hospital in Kaduna State while launching fresh air and ground operations against suspected terrorist hideouts linked to wanted kingpin Dogo Gide in Zamfara State.
The operations were carried out by the Joint Task Force North West under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, in collaboration with other security agencies.
In a statement, the Acting Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North West, Captain Tamuno Sinivie, disclosed that troops of Sector 1, working alongside operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), arrested the suspect, identified as Auta Maikyala, on November 5, 2026.
According to the military, Maikyala was apprehended at a hospital in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where he had reportedly gone to receive treatment for a gunshot wound sustained during an encounter with a rival faction.
Preliminary investigations allegedly linked him to several attacks on communities, kidnapping and cattle rustling activities.
The suspect remains in military custody as investigations continue ahead of possible prosecution.
Meanwhile, troops intensified clearance operations in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, targeting suspected terrorist hideouts in Aljummu Hausa, Aljummu Fulani and Tunga Magaji villages.
The November 5 operation reportedly led to the clearance of several hideouts, restricting the activities of criminal groups and improving security in the affected communities.
In a separate operation on the same day, the Nigerian Air Force deployed its Air Component to conduct air interdiction missions against identified terrorist locations in Babban Doka and Kuyumbana Forest, both in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The military said the locations were suspected to be associated with notorious terrorist kingpin Dogo Gide and his network.
The airstrikes followed intelligence reports indicating that suspected terrorists had gathered in the areas to plan and coordinate criminal activities.
Captain Sinivie said troops were maintaining operational dominance across the affected areas as military operations continued.
He reaffirmed the Joint Task Force’s commitment to sustaining its offensive operations to protect lives and property across the North-West Joint Operations Area.
The military also called on residents to provide timely and credible information about suspected terrorists and their activities to support ongoing security efforts.
The operations form part of sustained military efforts to dismantle armed groups, disrupt kidnapping networks and restore security across communities in the North-West.
Source: Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
