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A retired Major General, Abubakar Rabe, and his wife, Hajiya Amina Abubakar, have appealed to government authorities and community leaders to secure their freedom after a video released by their abductors surfaced online one week after their kidnapping in Katsina State.
The four-minute video, which has been circulating on social media, showed the couple standing in captivity while conveying the demands of the armed group holding them.
Speaking in the footage, the retired general’s wife said the abductors were demanding the release of three individuals identified as Sani, Aminu and Nasiru, whom they claimed were being detained by security authorities. She stated that two of the men were arrested in Jikamshi, while the third was apprehended in Kano State.
She also disclosed that the kidnappers were seeking the return of livestock allegedly confiscated from them. According to her, compliance with these demands would pave the way for the release of the victims.
Hajiya Amina appealed directly to the Katsina State Government and leaders of five local government areas to intervene and facilitate discussions aimed at securing their freedom.
In his brief remarks, Major General Rabe urged all parties to pursue peace, noting that the abductors had indicated a willingness to embrace dialogue and coexist peacefully if their grievances were addressed.
Notably, no monetary ransom demand was mentioned throughout the video, a development that has drawn attention amid the growing trend of kidnapping-for-ransom cases across the region.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Katsina State Government nor security agencies had issued an official response to the video or the demands presented by the abductors.
The retired military officer, his wife and their driver, Abdullahi Sa’idu, were abducted last Saturday while travelling to Katsina. Their vehicle was reportedly attacked along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road in Matazu Local Government Area.
The ambush occurred near Zakin Baure village, where armed men believed to be bandits allegedly emerged from hiding, blocked the road and opened fire on the vehicle, forcing it to stop.
Sources familiar with the incident said the driver sustained a gunshot wound to the hand during the attack but was later spared by the assailants.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that a notorious bandit leader, Kachallah Muhammad, has established contact with relatives of the abducted retired general.
According to sources, the suspected kingpin, who is said to operate in parts of Katsina State, opened communication channels with the family on Monday, raising hopes that negotiations for the victims’ release may be underway.
