A former Director of Defence Information, Major General Rabe Abubakar (retd.), and his wife have been abducted by suspected bandits in Katsina State.
The couple were reportedly travelling towards Katsina on Saturday when gunmen intercepted their vehicle in Matazu Local Government Area and took them away.
The spokesperson of the Katsina State Police Command, Abubakar Aliyu, confirmed the incident on Saturday evening, saying the command had launched a search-and-rescue operation to secure their release.
According to him, the attack occurred at about 11 a.m. when suspected armed bandits intercepted a Peugeot 406 saloon vehicle, opened fire and abducted two occupants, while the driver escaped.
“What happened was that today at about 11:00, suspected armed bandits intercepted a Peugeot 406 saloon vehicle, opened fire and abducted two occupants while the driver escaped,” Aliyu said.
He added that the Commissioner of Police had visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and had deployed additional tactical units and resources to support the rescue operation.
“Currently, our operatives, including the VCRU, are on a search-and-rescue operation, combing the surrounding bushes. Further developments will be communicated,” he added.
A security source in Matazu, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, also confirmed the abduction.
The source said the attack happened near Aduwa village, before Karaduwa, where the gunmen reportedly opened fire on the victims’ vehicle.
According to the source, the driver sustained a gunshot injury but managed to escape. He was first taken to a primary healthcare facility in Matazu before being transferred to Katsina for further treatment.
Photographs and video footage from the scene reportedly showed an abandoned vehicle with apparent bullet marks and personal belongings still inside.
The abduction was earlier disclosed by former senator Babafemi Ojudu, who cited information from retired army spokesperson, Brigadier General Sagir Musa.
Ojudu quoted Musa as saying that Abubakar and his wife were abducted while travelling to Katsina, while the driver escaped despite sustaining gunshot injuries.
Abubakar, a retired major general, served as Director of Defence Information, the media arm of the Defence Headquarters, between 2015 and 2017.
During his tenure, he was one of the military’s principal spokespersons and regularly briefed Nigerians on security operations across the country.
The incident has again raised concerns over worsening insecurity in Katsina State and the wider North-West region, where kidnapping and bandit attacks have continued despite ongoing military and police operations.
