By Abdullahi Inuwa
The Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, has launched a major offensive code-named Operation CLEAN SWEEP IV, targeting terrorist and armed criminal networks operating across the North-West.
The coordinated operation, involving ground troops and air assets, is aimed at dismantling terrorist networks, disrupting their logistics and movements, and preventing them from establishing new operational footholds in communities across the region.
According to the Theatre Command, the offensive has already recorded significant operational activity in Katsina and Zamfara states.
In Katsina State, troops of Sector 2 on Wednesday, August 12, conducted a clearance operation around suspected terrorist enclaves in Dutsinma Local Government Area.
The sustained military pressure reportedly forced the terrorists to abandon their positions and flee into surrounding bushes, with the clearance operation still ongoing in the general area.
Similarly, in Zamfara State, the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA carried out precision strikes following credible intelligence on the movement and convergence of terrorists on motorcycles in Anka Local Government Area.
The strikes neutralised scores of terrorists, while survivors reportedly abandoned their motorcycles and fled into nearby bushes. The air assets subsequently tracked and engaged the fleeing elements.
The Theatre Command said a major focus of Operation CLEAN SWEEP IV is the containment and dismantling of the Lakurawa terrorist network, particularly efforts to prevent its infiltration and reinforcement into Nigeria.
The operation is also designed to deny terrorist groups the use of border areas as corridors for movement, logistics and the establishment of enclaves.
Military authorities said the offensive would equally target terrorist activities around the River Niger axis and Kainji Lake National Park, with the aim of preventing the areas from being exploited as launch pads for attacks on neighbouring communities and other parts of the North-West.
The Theatre Command said the operation reflects the military’s proactive and sustained response to evolving security threats in the region.
It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting civilians, safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity and ensuring that terrorist and criminal elements are denied the opportunity to regroup, reinforce their ranks or establish fresh operational bases.
The statement was signed by Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, Media Information Officer, Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, on August 13, 2026.
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