Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, working in collaboration with local vigilantes, have captured key commanders of a notorious terrorist group linked to the kidnapping and killing of retired Major General Abubakar Rabe in Katsina State.
A military source in Gusau, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the operation conducted on Sunday resulted in the arrest of several senior members of the group operating under Kachalla Maha.
Among those apprehended was a top commander identified as Samagi, described as a key figure in the group’s operational structure.
The arrests are regarded as a major breakthrough in the ongoing offensive aimed at dismantling criminal networks and disrupting their command and control structures across the North-West.
The suspects are believed to have played prominent roles in kidnappings, killings and other violent attacks attributed to the Kachalla Maha group in parts of the region.
The joint operation involving troops and local vigilantes highlighted the value of credible local intelligence and community-based partnerships in tracking terrorists operating in difficult terrain.
A prominent vigilante leader, identified as Mamara, noted that the capture of Samagi and other senior members could yield valuable intelligence on the group’s leadership, operational methods, hideouts, supply networks and possible collaborators.
Retired Major General Rabe was abducted alongside his wife in Matazu Local Government Area earlier this year.
He later died in captivity, an incident that heightened concerns over the activities of armed groups and the threats they pose to both military personnel and civilians in the North-West.
Security forces have since intensified operations against terrorist groups in identified enclaves to deny them freedom of movement and degrade their capacity to carry out attacks and kidnappings.
Sources indicated that the latest arrests are expected to support ongoing intelligence-gathering efforts and help trace other members of the network and their links to previous attacks.
The suspects will undergo further investigation to determine their individual roles in the group’s activities and their involvement in other violent incidents across Katsina and neighbouring states.
Official details on the exact number of suspects arrested and any weapons recovered were still being awaited from military authorities at the time of the report.
