Malik Yahya/
A retired Major General and former Director of Defence Information, Rabe Abubakar, and his wife have reportedly been abducted by suspected bandits in Katsina State.
The incident occurred on Saturday along the Matazu axis of Katsina State while the retired senior military officer and his wife were travelling to Katsina.
According to multiple security sources, armed men intercepted their vehicle and whisked the couple away to an unknown destination.
Details of the abduction first emerged through a security alert reportedly circulated by retired Brigadier General Sagir Musa and later shared publicly by former presidential adviser and ex-senator, Babafemi Ojudu.
According to the message, the retired general’s driver managed to escape despite sustaining gunshot injuries during the attack.
“Maj Gen R Abubakar, former Dir Def Info, was kidnapped together with his wife on his way to Katsina today. He was kidnapped along Matazu LGA of KTS. His driver escaped with gunshot injury,” the message stated.
Sources said the attackers ambushed the couple’s vehicle in Matazu Local Government Area, an area that has experienced repeated attacks by armed groups and bandits in recent years.
The vehicle, described as a red Peugeot 504 saloon car belonging to the retired officer, was later recovered and taken to the Matazu Divisional Police Headquarters.
Reports indicated that the vehicle bore visible signs of the attack, including bullet damage.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Katsina State Police Command nor the Defence Headquarters had issued an official statement confirming the abduction.
Major General Abubakar is a well-known figure within Nigeria’s military establishment.
He served as Director of Defence Information between 2015 and 2017, acting as the principal spokesman of the Armed Forces during a critical period of counter-insurgency and security operations across the country.
The abduction has generated fresh concern because it involved a retired senior military officer, underscoring the growing reach of armed criminal groups operating across parts of the North-West.
Katsina remains one of the states most affected by banditry, kidnappings and highway attacks despite repeated military operations and security deployments.
Armed gangs frequently target travellers, rural communities and prominent individuals for ransom.
0Related posts:
Internal Security Dynamics and the Imperative of a New Policing Thought in Nigeria
Nigeria at 60: How Africa’s Most Decorated Detective Made the Nation Proud
Why I Like Big Busts – DCP Abba Kyari
Police Harvest Suspected Criminals in Katsina …Recover Arms, Ammunition
‘Private Vehicle Does Not Require Road Worthiness Certificate’
Nigerian Army Redeploys 25 Generals in Major Shakeup