Troops of the Nigerian Army under Operation CLEAN SWEEP III have rescued four kidnapped victims in Katsina State as part of intensified counter-banditry operations targeting the network of notorious bandit leader Kachalla Muhammadu Fulani.
The operation, conducted on 16 June 2026, involved troops of the 17 Brigade Strike Group/Quick Response Force, supported by personnel of the 8 Division Special Forces, who launched a coordinated offensive to clear terrorist hideouts in Fafu Village along the Matazu–Musawa axis.
Prior to the ground assault, the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA carried out Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions over the area, providing actionable intelligence that enabled troops to accurately locate and engage the criminal enclave.
Upon contact, troops engaged the terrorists in a fierce exchange of fire. Overwhelmed by superior firepower, the bandits fled in disarray, abandoning their camp and captives. Subsequent clearance and exploitation of the area led to the rescue of four abducted victims.
The rescued persons were immediately evacuated to the Forward Operating Base in Matazu, where they were received by the General Officer Commanding 8 Division and Commander Sector 2 Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Major General B. P. Koughna, who assured them of their safety and reaffirmed ongoing military commitment to restoring security across the region.
Some of the victims, who reportedly sustained gunshot wounds inflicted by their abductors during captivity, received urgent medical attention before being transferred to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, for further treatment.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the victims were abducted on 14 April 2026 from Sabon Sara along the Matazu–Karaduwa Road and had been held in captivity alongside the late Major General Rabe Abubakar (retd.) and his wife.
Military authorities confirmed that troops are continuing pursuit operations against Kachalla Muhammadu Fulani and other members of his network, with sustained clearance missions aimed at dismantling remaining hideouts and denying criminals safe havens.
The Nigerian Army, in collaboration with other security agencies, reiterated its commitment to ensuring that perpetrators of violence against civilians are apprehended or neutralised as operations across the theatre continue.
