KATSINA GOVT SAYS RESCUE EFFORTS FOR ABDUCTED EX-DEFENCE SPOKESMAN, WIFE AT ADVANCED STAGE
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Katsina State Government has expressed optimism over the imminent release of former Director of Defence Information, retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, his wife, and other kidnapped victims, stating that rescue efforts have reached an advanced stage.
The assurance was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Bala Zango.
According to the government, Governor Dikko Radda immediately directed security agencies to prioritise the rescue of the retired military officer, his wife, and other captives following their abduction along the Matazu axis of the state.
Preliminary findings from ongoing investigations, the government said, indicate that the incident was not random but a deliberate and targeted operation.
“Evidence gathered so far suggests that the retired military officer and his wife were monitored and trailed from Kaduna, their point of departure. This points to a troubling shift in tactics by criminal groups operating in the region,” the statement said.
The government noted that the calculated nature of the attack suggested the involvement of organised criminal networks and said intelligence gathered so far was shaping the ongoing rescue strategy.
Describing the abduction as an attack on the state’s security and public order, authorities vowed to ensure those behind the incident are identified and brought to justice.
“We are dealing with a targeted operation, which changes the dynamics of our response. The state is deploying technology and ground intelligence round the clock to track the abductors. Our immediate priority remains the safe return of the General, his wife, and others in similar situations,” the statement added.
The government also appealed to residents to share any information regarding suspicious activities or movements before the incident, noting that such intelligence could support efforts to dismantle the network responsible.
It further disclosed that coordination had been strengthened with the Nigerian Army, the Police, and other intelligence agencies to ensure a successful operation without endangering the victims.
Security personnel, according to the statement, have maintained active surveillance and operational presence around the affected area, while authorities continue to explore every lawful option to secure the victims’ release.
“The Katsina State Government remains committed to combating banditry and ensuring that the General, his wife and others in similar situations are safely reunited with their families. We are confident that ongoing operations will soon deliver positive results,” the government stated.
Earlier reports indicated that the kidnappers demanded the release of three detained fighters and the return of livestock allegedly confiscated during security operations as conditions for freeing the victims.
The demands were reportedly conveyed in a four-minute video released by the abductors.
In the footage, the retired officer’s wife appealed in Hausa to the Katsina State Government, traditional rulers, and community leaders across five local government areas to intervene and facilitate the release of three detained individuals identified as Sani, Aminu and Nasiru.
The couple was reportedly travelling with their driver along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road in Matazu Local Government Area when armed men ambushed their vehicle near Zakin Baure village and took them into a nearby forest.
Their driver reportedly escaped despite sustaining gunshot injuries during the attack, while security operatives later recovered the victims’ red Peugeot 504 vehicle and moved it to the Matazu Divisional Police Headquarters.
The government urged the family of the victims and the public to remain calm, assuring that all available resources were being deployed to secure their safe return.
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