Katsina Confident of Rescue as Search Intensifies for Retired General, Wife

retired Major General of the Nigerian Army, Abubakar Rabe, and his wife, Hajiya Amina Abubakar

Katsina Confident of Rescue as Search Intensifies for Retired General, Wife

The Katsina State Government has expressed optimism that retired Major General Rabe Abubakar and his wife, who were recently abducted by armed bandits, will soon regain their freedom as security agencies intensify coordinated rescue operations across the state.

The retired senior military officer and his wife were kidnapped along the Matazu axis of Katsina State, an area that has witnessed repeated attacks by armed criminal groups operating across parts of the North-West.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Bala Salisu Zango, said ongoing security operations had reached an advanced stage, raising hopes of a positive breakthrough in the coming days.

According to the statement, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has directed all relevant security formations to prioritise the safe rescue of the retired general and his wife, alongside other victims currently held in captivity.

Preliminary findings by security agencies suggest that the abduction was a targeted and carefully planned operation. Authorities disclosed that intelligence gathered so far indicates the victims may have been monitored and trailed from Kaduna State, where they reportedly departed before the attack occurred.

Security officials described the development as evidence of increasingly sophisticated tactics adopted by armed groups in the region, noting that kidnapping networks are now relying on improved surveillance and coordinated planning to execute abductions.

The government said this emerging pattern has necessitated a more advanced response strategy, combining ground operations, intelligence gathering, and technological surveillance tools to track the abductors and locate the victims.

“We are dealing with a targeted operation, which changes the dynamics of our response,” the statement said, adding that security agencies are working round the clock to ensure a breakthrough without endangering the lives of the captives.

The Katsina State Government reaffirmed its commitment to securing the safe return of the retired general, his wife, and other abducted persons across the state, while also vowing that those responsible for the crime would be brought to justice.

It further appealed to residents to support ongoing security efforts by reporting suspicious movements and providing credible intelligence that could assist rescue operations.

Authorities confirmed that collaboration among the Nigerian Army, Police, and intelligence agencies has been strengthened, with joint operations intensified across known criminal corridors believed to be used by the abductors.

The government also urged the family of the retired general and residents of Katsina State to remain calm, assuring them that all available security resources are being deployed to ensure a successful rescue operation.

Meanwhile, security sources say operations are ongoing across identified escape routes, as troops and tactical units expand search efforts into border communities where kidnappers are believed to be hiding.

The incident has once again highlighted growing concerns over insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria, where armed banditry and kidnappings for ransom continue to pose major challenges to security forces despite ongoing military offensives.

Katsina Confident of Rescue as Search Intensifies for Retired General, Wife