ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian troops have rescued 33 people who were abducted while traveling in Zamfara state, in the northwestern part of the country, an army statement on Sunday said. A military operation was launched after unidentified gunmen kidnapped the group as they traveled through the Tsafe area of Zamfara on Saturday, army spokesman Aliyu Danja said in a statement. “The troops engaged the terrorists with effective fire, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee into adjoining bushes,” Danja said. “The troops then secured and rescued all 33 abducted persons.” Despite repeated promises by President Bola Tinubu to address the crisis, security challenges in Africa’s most populous country have continued to deteriorate.