By Uzair Adam
Major General Rabe Abubakar (rtd), a former Director of Defence Information, and his wife have been abducted by bandits along the Matazu axis of Katsina State.
Sources said the retired military officer was travelling to Katsina with his wife when armed men intercepted their vehicle and carried out the attack.
His driver reportedly escaped despite sustaining gunshot injuries, while the retired General and his wife were taken away by the attackers into a nearby forest.
A video circulating on social media showed the victims’ vehicle parked inside the Matazu Divisional Police Headquarters.
The red Peugeot 504 car bore at least two bullet holes, indicating the intensity of the attack.
The incident marks the second high-profile kidnapping involving a retired senior military officer in Katsina within two years.
In 2025, Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga (rtd), a former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), was abducted and spent 56 days in captivity before regaining freedom.
Despite ongoing security operations, Katsina State continues to grapple with recurring attacks by armed groups.
The latest abduction came barely a day after bandits attacked Kiliya village in Dutsinma Local Government Area, killing at least 16 residents.
The attackers reportedly stormed the community shortly after Juma’at prayers as residents gathered to celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir festivities.
A resident who witnessed the attack said panic broke out when the gunmen arrived, forcing many villagers to flee for safety.
According to him, the assailants initially ordered residents to stop running before moving towards a mechanic’s house, where they suddenly opened fire on people in the area.
The witness said he survived by hiding inside a nearby house and later emerged to find several victims lying dead.
He added that some of those killed were his relatives, including uncles and cousins.
The attack triggered a mass exodus from the village, with hundreds of residents reportedly fleeing to neighbouring Bagagadi and Radda communities.
Several people remain unaccounted for, raising concerns that the casualty figure could increase.
Residents also reported that some victims were discovered on surrounding farmlands, suggesting that farmers working in the area may have been caught in the attack.
