The Nigerian Armed Forces Operation Fansan Yamma said the Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation Fansan Yamma, have successfully conducted a fighting patrol in response to a distress call from the residents and vigilantes of Yar Galadima village in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State. 

According to the statement issued by the Coordinator, of the Joint Media Coordination Centre of the operation, Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, the development occurred early hours of 1st of December 2024, when the troops of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Hanutara were alerted at about 5 am that terrorists were attacking the village.

“The troops responded promptly to provide assistance and restore peace to the affected area. During the patrol, the troops encountered terrorists who laid ambush at 2 different locations on the approach to the village.”

“The ambush sites were cleared by the troops and some of the terrorists neutralised while others fled. Additionally, the Air Component Operation Fansan Yamma promptly dispatched aircraft to provide close air support to the troops as they continued their advance to the village while the fleeing terrorists were equally engaged by the aircraft leading to scores of terrorists being neutralised.”

He added that Operation Fansan Yamma remained committed to eliminating any terrorist threats in the North Western part of the country and Niger StateThe Director of Immunisation and Disease Control, Kebbi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Junaidu Haliru Gwandu said the state targets 595,000 children in the first phase of the malaria vaccination rollout exercise.

Dr. Walter Mulombo, WHO Representative in Nigeria, said, “We are confident that this vaccine, in combination with other preventive measures, will drastically reduce the burden of malaria in Nigeria and help us move closer to achieving the goal of a malaria-free Africa.”

The R21 vaccine was developed by scientists at Oxford University and made by the Serum Institute of India and Novavax. Nigeria is one of the first countries in the world to back the vaccine. Malaria vaccination is only for the prevention of malaria in children, not adults.

Malaria is one of the deadliest diseases in Nigeria and Africa, taking the lives of hundreds of thousands of children under the age of 5 each year. Nigeria accounts for approximately 27% of the global malaria burden and 31% of malaria deaths worldwide.