Troops Rescue Four Kidnap Victims Held Alongside General Rabe

Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued four kidnapped victims during sustained counter-banditry operations under Operation CLEAN SWEEP III in Katsina State, as the military intensifies its offensive against a notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Muhammadu Fulani, and his criminal network.

The rescue operation was disclosed in a statement posted on the official X handle of the Nigerian Army, on Wednesday, June 17.

According to the statement, the breakthrough followed a coordinated assault on terrorist hideouts in Fafu Village along the Matazu–Musawa axis on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.

The operation was carried out by troops of the 17 Brigade Strike Group/Quick Response Force, supported by the 8 Division Special Forces, with aerial reconnaissance support from the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA.

The Army said prior intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions enabled troops to accurately locate and target the terrorists’ enclave before launching the ground offensive.

During the assault, troops reportedly engaged the bandits in a firefight, overwhelming them with superior firepower, forcing the criminals to flee and abandon their camp along with the abducted victims.

Following the clearance operation, four kidnapped victims were rescued from the hideout.

The statement noted that the victims 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.

Some of the victims, who sustained gunshot injuries inflicted by their abductors while in captivity, received immediate medical attention before being transferred to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, for further treatment.

Preliminary findings revealed that the victims were abducted on April 14, 2026, from Sabon Sara along the Matazu–Karaduwa Road and were held alongside other high-profile captives, including the late Major General Rabe Abubakar (rtd) and his wife.

The Army said troops are continuing aggressive pursuit operations targeting Kachalla Muhammadu Fulani and members of his network, with a vow to dismantle all criminal enclaves operating in the area.