Suspected bandits have reportedly abducted former Director of Defence Information, Rabe Abubakar, and his wife along the Matazu axis of Katsina State, in yet another incident highlighting the persistent security challenges facing Nigeria’s North-West region.
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Sources familiar with the incident said the retired senior military officer and his wife were travelling to Katsina on Saturday when armed men intercepted their vehicle in Matazu Local Government Area and whisked them away to an unknown destination.
Sources familiar with the incident said the retired senior military officer and his wife were travelling to Katsina on Saturday when armed men intercepted their vehicle in Matazu Local Government Area and whisked them away to an unknown destination.
The abduction is believed to have occurred on a route that has witnessed repeated attacks by criminal gangs despite ongoing security operations across the state.
According to sources, the retired general’s driver narrowly escaped from the attack, although he sustained a gunshot wound during the encounter.
“Major General R. Abubakar, former Director of Defence Information, was kidnapped together with his wife on his way to Katsina today. He was abducted along Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State. His driver escaped with a gunshot injury,” a source disclosed.
The source further revealed that the vehicle conveying the retired officer, a red Peugeot 504, was later recovered and taken to the Matazu Divisional Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force.
“The senior officer’s Peugeot 504, red in colour, is parked at the Matazu Division of the Nigeria Police Force,” the source added.
The reported abduction triggered alerts within security circles, with a message said to have been circulated among military and security personnel urging relevant authorities to take immediate action.
The message, reportedly forwarded by retired Brigadier General Sagir Musa, informed security agencies of the incident and provided details of the attack, including the recovery of the victim’s vehicle and the injury sustained by the driver.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Katsina State Police Command nor military authorities had issued an official statement confirming the abduction or providing details of ongoing rescue efforts.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the worsening security situation in Katsina State, one of the states hardest hit by banditry in the North-West.
Despite sustained military offensives and security operations across the region, armed groups continue to carry out kidnappings, attacks on travellers and raids on rural communities, raising concerns about the safety of residents and road users.
Security analysts say the reported abduction of a retired senior military officer underscores the growing audacity of criminal gangs operating in parts of the region and highlights the urgent need for intensified security measures to curb the menace.
Authorities are expected to provide further updates as investigations and rescue efforts continue.
