Troops of the 17 Brigade have intensified ongoing anti-bandit and counterterrorism operations in Katsina State, successfully neutralising a suspected terrorist and recovering weapons during a fighting patrol in Sabuwa Local Government Area.
The operation, carried out under the military offensive codenamed Operation Forest Sanity IV, occurred on May 21 along the Dandume–Damari road near Gamji village.
Military sources told Zagazola Makama that troops attached to Combat Team 3 in Damari village encountered a suspected terrorist riding a motorcycle while conducting aggressive clearance patrols across the area.
The suspect reportedly attempted to evade the troops but was swiftly pursued and engaged in a brief firefight that ended with his neutralisation.
Security sources disclosed that items recovered during the operation included an AK-47 rifle, a loaded AK-47 magazine, a motorcycle, and an Itel mobile phone believed to belong to the suspect.
Following the encounter, troops immediately launched exploitation operations across nearby communities and forest routes to flush out any fleeing criminal elements and prevent possible regrouping.
Military authorities confirmed that no casualty was recorded among the troops and no equipment was lost during the operation.
They described the latest breakthrough as part of sustained efforts to dismantle terrorist and bandit networks terrorising communities across Katsina and neighbouring North-West states.
The military further reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining relentless pressure on criminal groups to ensure residents can carry out their daily socio-economic activities without fear.
Katsina State has remained one of the flashpoints of armed banditry, kidnapping, and cattle rustling in recent years, prompting intensified military offensives and joint security operations across forest corridors in the region.
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