Troops rescue chained kidnap victim, destroy terror camps in Fafu Forest Katsina

Nigerian Army troops have intensified counter-terrorism operations in Katsina State, rescuing a kidnapped victim found in chains and dismantling several terrorist hideouts in the notorious Fafu Forest as part of an ongoing offensive aimed at restoring security across the North-West. The operation, conducted under Operation CLEAN SWEEP, involved troops of the 17 Brigade Strike Group and Quick Response Force working alongside elements of the 8 Division Special Forces in coordinated intelligence-driven missions designed to eliminate terrorist enclaves, disrupt criminal networks and protect vulnerable communities from persistent attacks. Military sources disclosed that the troops, on the fourth day of the operation, launched a carefully coordinated clearance mission targeting terrorist strongholds in and around Tuga, located in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State. The operation was supported by real-time Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance assets, as well as precision air strikes carried out by the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, enabling security forces to neutralise threats and clear several settlements previously occupied by the criminals. The sustained offensive also resulted in the recovery of a large number of rustled livestock believed to have been stolen by the terrorists during raids on local communities. The recovered animals included 36 cattle, 280 sheep and two donkeys. Security officials believe the seizure represents a significant setback for the criminal groups, whose operations are largely financed through cattle rustling, kidnapping and other illicit activities that have destabilised rural communities across the region. Maintaining operational momentum, the troops advanced deeper into the notorious Fafu Forest, a location long regarded as a hideout for armed groups operating across Katsina and neighbouring states. Employing a strategy aimed at denying terrorists safe havens, the soldiers moved into the forest after coordinated aerial and artillery bombardments on identified targets.