The Katsina State Government has launched intensive, multi-dimensional security operations to secure the safe release of the former Director of Defence Information, Major General Rabe Abubakar (Rtd), his wife, and other victims currently held in captivity.
​The couple was ambushed and abducted by armed bandits along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road in the Matazu Local Government Area of the state while traveling.
​In an official statement released by the Katsina State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Dr. Bala Salisu Zango, the government expressed strong optimism that ongoing rescue operations have reached an advanced stage and that the captives will soon regain their freedom.
​Preliminary investigations conducted by security forces have revealed a worrying shift in the tactics used by criminal networks operating in the region. According to intelligence reports, the abduction was not a random attack but a highly coordinated, premeditated operation.
​”Evidence gathered so far suggests that the veteran military officer and his spouse were specifically monitored and trailed right from Kaduna, their point of departure,” Commissioner Zango stated. “The precision of the abduction indicates the involvement of organized criminal groups. This insight is currently guiding the strategy of the security forces to ensure a focused and effective rescue mission.”
​Following the incident, Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda issued a swift directive to all relevant security agencies, ordering them to prioritize the immediate and safe rescue of the retired general, his wife, and all other abductees.
​Condemning the incident, the government described the targeted ambush on a high-profile retired military officer who dedicated his life to national service, as an “affront to the state” and to all law-abiding citizens. Governor Radda emphasized that his administration remains fiercely committed to tracking down the perpetrators and ensuring they face the full wrath of the law.
​The state government confirmed that it is actively collaborating with the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, and other intelligence agencies. Security operatives are utilizing a combination of advanced tracking technology and ground intelligence to close in on the bandits’ hideouts without compromising the safety of the hostages.
​”We are dealing with a targeted operation, which changes the dynamics of our response,” the statement added. “The state is working around the clock, utilizing both technology and ground intelligence to close in on the abductors. Our primary goal remains the safe return of the General, his wife, and others.”
​The government has urged members of the public and local residents along the Matazu axis to remain calm and to provide security forces with any actionable information regarding suspicious movements that could help dismantle the criminal networks.
