Former Director of Defence Information, Major General Rabe Abubakar (rtd), and his wife have been abducted by suspected armed bandits in Katsina State.
AIT’s Defence Correspondent, Has Akodih, gathered that the retired senior military officer and his wife were travelling through Matazu Local Government Area on Saturday morning when their vehicle was ambushed by heavily armed gunmen.
A security source described the incident as a daring attack along a major route in the state, saying the attackers intercepted the couple’s vehicle and whisked them away to an unknown destination.
The source disclosed that the driver of the vehicle escaped despite sustaining a gunshot wound during the attack.
According to the source, relevant security agencies have been alerted, while coordinated efforts are underway to secure the safe rescue of the victims.
The abduction has heightened concerns over persistent insecurity in parts of Katsina State despite ongoing military operations targeting criminal groups across the North-West region.
The incident also recalls previous attacks involving military and security personnel in the state. In recent years, several serving and retired security officers have either been targeted by bandits or fallen victim to kidnappings and ambushes along major highways linking Katsina with neighbouring states.
AIT’s Has Akodih reports that criminal groups operating in the region increasingly view high-profile individuals, including military officers, as lucrative targets.
Major General Rabe Abubakar served as Director of Defence Information and was one of the military’s most prominent spokespersons, playing a key role in communicating the Armed Forces’ counter-insurgency and national security operations during his years in service.
The latest abduction is expected to intensify calls for enhanced security measures on major highways and in rural communities across Katsina State, where residents continue to grapple with banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes.
Military authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
Editor: Ada Ononye
