Operation Troops of Sector 1, Joint Task Force North West, Operation Fansan Yamma, acting on coordinated intelligence alongside operatives from the Department of State Services, arrested a suspected notorious terrorist in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State. ​
The operational breakthrough occurred on Thursday, November 5, 2026, when security forces tracked the suspect, identified as Auta Maikyala, to a healthcare facility in Kagarko town. Maikyala had reportedly sought medical attention for a severe gunshot wound sustained during an earlier armed clash with a rival terrorist syndicate.
Military sources indicate that preliminary investigations tie Maikyala to a series of violent attacks on rural communities, targeted kidnappings for ransom, and large-scale cattle rustling incidents across the region. He remains in military custody undergoing detailed interrogation ahead of formal prosecution.
​Confirming the arrest in an official press statement released on Friday, November 6, 2026, the Acting Media Information Officer for the Joint Task Force North West, Captain Tamuno Sinivie, highlighted the successful inter-agency synergy that led to the capture.
​”On 5 November 2026, troops of Sector 1, in conjunction with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), apprehended a suspected terrorist identified as Auta Maikyala during an intelligence-led operation,” Captain Sinivie stated. “Operation Fansan Yamma will sustain its operational tempo and aggressive posture to fulfill its mandate of protecting lives and property across the Joint Operations Area.” ​
The arrest formed part of a broader, multi-front offensive launched across the Joint Operations Area. On the same day, ground troops carried out extensive clearance operations across Aljummu Hausa, Aljummu Fulani, and Tunga Magaji villages in the Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, destroying several terrorist hideouts and restoring security to the rural enclaves.
​Concurrently, the Air Component of the Nigerian Air Force executed precision air interdictions targeting gathering locations linked to wanted terrorist kingpin Dogo Gide in Babban Doka and deep within the Kuyumbana Forest of Maru Local Government Area.
Military authorities have called on residents across the North West to maintain support for the ongoing campaign by providing timely and actionable intelligence to local security formations.
