The Defence Headquarters Joint Task Force North West has launched a fresh military offensive code-named Operation Clean Sweep III in Katsina State.
The operation is aimed at hunting down and eliminating the bandits and terrorists responsible for the abduction and subsequent death in captivity of the former Defence Spokesperson, retired Major General Rabe Abubakar.
A statement released on Monday by Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North West) under Operation Fansan Yamma, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, said the offensive, which kicked off on Sunday, June 14, 2026, focuses on the Matazu Local Government Area and adjoining communities where the criminal networks operate.
General Rabe and his wife were abducted by suspected terrorists on May 30, 2026, along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road. While the retired general died while being held in the kidnappers’ den and was buried on June 13, his wife is believed to still remain in the hands of the captors.
The military confirmed that troops have already recorded notable successes since the operations commenced. To crush the criminal syndicates, fighting patrols, intelligence-led raids, cordon-and-search operations, and thorough clearance missions have been deployed across all suspected terrorist enclaves within the Joint Operations Area.
The Defence Headquarters revealed that breakthroughs have already been achieved in the Dikkawa Hills general area, as well as surrounding communities including Adua, Nasarawa, and Karaduwa. During these intensive operations, troops successfully searched and combed several criminal enclaves, discovering and completely destroying the terrorists’ life-support structures, operational logistics bases, and camps. The JTF emphasized that the destruction of these hubs has severely degraded the criminals’ ability to launch attacks or operate freely within Katsina State.
