By ZAGAZOLA MAKAMA

As the troops of Operation FANSAN YABMA have continued their aggressive operations in the thick undergrowth of Gandumi Forest, North of Goronyo, the stillness of a late-morning haze was shattered on Thursday as soldiers from the 8 Division Gar Strike Team swept through a cluster of makeshift huts and weapons pits.

It was the latest push under Operation Forest Sanity III, a rolling clearance campaign designed to uproot terrorist and bandit enclaves that have long exploited Sokoto?s sprawling woodlands as a sanctuary.

Between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., the troops struck two separate hideouts: one in Gandumi Forest, Goronyo Local Government Area, and another in Indulumu village, Maradun LGA. Military sources told Zagazola Makama that six armed militants were neutralised in the combined raids.

Two AK-47 rifles, three motor-cycles, camouflage fatigues, assorted drugs and maintenance kits were recovered, while the camps themselves were levelled and set ablaze to prevent re-occupation.

?Every foot of ground we seize in these forests denies criminals a staging area,? a senior officer on the mission explained. ?The goal is to keep them constantly off balance so they cannot regroup or threaten nearby communities.?

Barely an hour later and 70 kilometres away, a separate drama unfolded in Isa Local Government Area. Dozens of bandits riding motorcycles rolled toward Gamaroji, a dusty farming community often hit by rustling raids, only to meet an ambush laid by crack operatives on special assignment.

Acting on what authorities described as ?specific, time-sensitive intelligence,? the team intercepted the convoy at about 11 a.m. A fierce exchange of fire ensued; one gunman was killed, the rest fled, abandoning two Honda motorcycles, an empty AK magazine and two assault rifles bearing.

Local residents told Zagazola Makama that the rapid response averted what could have been a mass abduction or livestock theft.

?We heard gunshots outside the village and thought they had come for us again,? said farmer Bawa Yusuf. ?When it fell silent, we saw security men bringing out seized rifles. People are breathing easier tonight.?

Sokoto?s Eastern corridor from Goronyo down through Isa into Zamfara?s Maradun axis forms a critical transit route for armed gangs shuttling cattle, weapons and abductees between forest camps and black market buyers.

Operation Forest Sanity III, launched in March as the newest phase of the multi agency offensive, focuses on these corridors. Its mix of deliberate daytime assaults and intelligence driven night manoeuvres has already yielded a string of weapons recoveries and hostage rescues.

A defence Intelligence said the aim is two-fold: ?Deny the bad actors depth and logistics, while reassuring civilians that the state is reclaiming every contested space.?

For villages like Gamaroji and Indulumu, each successful raid offers a brief respite. Yet many residents remain cautious, mindful that retreating fighters often strike back at soft targets.

A District head who chose to be anonymous for the fear of being targeted urged continued vigilance. ?We thank the security forces for today?s success,? he told Zagazola. ?But we still need sustained patrols and quick response lines because the criminals melt into other forests.?

Military commanders say the campaign will persist ?until all camps are dismantled and freedom of movement is restored. (Zagazola, nut headline rejigged)

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