"The troops engaged the terrorists with effective fire, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee into adjoining bushes," Danja said. The army is working to track the "fleeing terrorists," he added. Zamfara has seen a surge in killings and abductions in recent months. At least 32 people were killed in separate attacks in the state in June alone. Despite repeated promises by President Bola Tinubu to address the crisis, security challenges in Africa's most populous country have continued to deteriorate.