Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA (JTF NW OPFY), have launched a major offensive against terrorists and bandits in Katsina State, destroyed several criminal hideouts and logistics bases in the process.
The operation, code-named Operation CLEAN SWEEP III, commenced on June 14, 2026, across Matazu Local Government Area and adjoining communities following the killing of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who was abducted alongside his wife by suspected terrorists and bandits.
According to the Media Information Officer of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, the offensive is aimed at tracking down and neutralising those responsible for the attack, dismantling criminal networks, and restoring security in the affected communities.
Since the commencement of the operation, troops have carried out aggressive fighting patrols, intelligence-driven raids, cordon-and-search missions, and clearance operations across identified terrorist enclaves within the Joint Operations Area.
The military recorded significant successes during operations in the Dikkawa Hills and surrounding communities. Troops conducted clearance missions in Adua, Nasarawa and Karaduwa areas, where several terrorist hideouts were searched and combed.
During the operations, troops discovered and destroyed terrorists’ life-support structures and logistics bases, a development the military said has further degraded the operational capabilities of criminal elements in the area.
Lieutenant Colonel Danja noted that the operation is being conducted in close collaboration with sister services, other security agencies and local stakeholders whose support has continued to enhance efforts to improve security across the state.
He reassured residents of Matazu Local Government Area and neighbouring communities of the military’s commitment to protecting law-abiding citizens and denying terrorists and bandits freedom of action within the region.
The military also urged members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies to aid the tracking and arrest of terrorists and other criminal elements, assuring that all information received would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
The Joint Task Force pledged to sustain pressure on criminal groups until all operational objectives are achieved, adding that further updates would be provided as the operation progresses.
