A retired Nigerian Army general and his wife, who were abducted along the Karaduwa–Matazu Road in Katsina State one week ago, have appeared in a video released by their captors, appealing to the government to help secure their freedom.
Major General Abubakar Rabe (rtd) and his wife, Hajiya Amina Abubakar, were seen standing in the four-minute, two-second clip, which circulated widely on social media, relaying the demands of their abductors.In the video, Hajiya Amina stated that the kidnappers are demanding the release of three of their members — identified as Sani, Aminu, and Nasiru — as well as the return of livestock allegedly seized from them. She said two of the detained men were arrested in Jikamshi while the third was held in Kano.
She appealed directly to the Katsina State Government and the leadership of five local government areas to facilitate compliance with the demands in order to secure the couple’s releaseGeneral Rabe, who spoke briefly, urged all parties to pursue peace, noting that the abductors had indicated willingness for dialogue and peaceful coexistence. No monetary ransom was mentioned in the video. As of press time, neither the Katsina State Government nor any security agency had issued an official response to the video.
The couple were abducted the previous Saturday while travelling to Katsina. Their vehicle was ambushed near Zakin Baure village along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli road in Matazu Local Government Area, where armed men believed to be bandits blocked the road and opened fire.
Their driver, Abdullahi Sa’idu, was shot in the hand during the attack but was subsequently released by the gunmen. Sources familiar with the incident told Daily Trust that notorious bandit leader Kachallah Muhammad, who operates across parts of Katsina State, established contact with the general’s family on Monday morning.
