Troops of the Nigerian Army under Operation CLEAN SWEEP III have rescued four kidnapped victims in Katsina State as intensified offensive operations continue against notorious bandit leader Kachalla Muhammadu Fulani and his criminal network.
Desk: Defence & Security
Date: 17 June 2026
Time: 18:20 WAT
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
The operation highlights the growing emphasis of counter-banditry efforts on dismantling operational enclaves, disrupting criminal command structures, and denying armed groups the ability to sustain abduction networks across the North-West security corridor.
According to a statement from the Nigerian Army, troops of 17 Brigade Strike Group/Quick Response Force, supported by troops of 8 Division Special Forces and the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, conducted a coordinated operation targeting terrorist hideouts along the Matazu-Musawa axis.
Joint offensive disrupts bandit enclave in Katsina
The operation, conducted on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, followed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions that enabled troops to identify and dominate a terrorist hideout in Fafu Village, Matazu Local Government Area.
The coordinated air and ground action forced the criminals into a disorganised withdrawal after troops brought overwhelming firepower against the enclave.
The fleeing bandits abandoned their camp and captives, allowing troops to conduct exploitation operations that resulted in the rescue of four abducted victims.
The rescued victims were evacuated to Forward Operating Base Matazu, where they were received by the General Officer Commanding 8 Division and Commander Sector 2 Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Major General BP Koughna.
Some of the victims, who sustained injuries during their captivity, received immediate medical attention before being moved to the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina for further management.
Operation connects wider campaign against criminal networks
Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were abducted on 14 April 2026 from Sabon Sara along the Matazu-Karaduwa Road and were held in captivity alongside the late Major General Rabe Abubakar (rtd) and his wife.
The recovery adds to recent operational gains recorded in the area, where troops have continued targeting criminal networks responsible for kidnappings and attacks on communities.
The Nigerian Army stated that troops remain on the trail of Kachalla Muhammadu Fulani and other criminal elements, maintaining offensive pressure until those responsible for attacks against civilians are apprehended or neutralised.
The sustained operations reinforce a broader security strategy focused on shifting from reactive responses to deliberate disruption of bandit command structures, their logistics networks, and safe havens across Katsina and the North-West.
🏷️ Tags: Defence Security Army OperationCleanSweepIII OperationFansanYamma Katsina CounterBanditry
#NigeriaSecurity #WarAgainstInsecurity #Banditry #MilitaryOperations #NorthWest #ZigDiaries
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