Retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, a former director of Defence Information at the Defence Headquarters has died while being held captive by bandits in Katsina State.
Key Highlights:
- Retired Major General Rabe Abubakar died while in bandits’ captivity in Katsina State.
- He and his wife, Amina Abubakar, were kidnapped in late May 2026 on the Karaduwa–Matazu road.
- The state government said he died from health complications linked to diabetes and hypertension.
- A video released by the kidnappers showed the couple pleading for help and conveying their captors’ demands.
- Authorities described his death as a tragic loss and said efforts to secure the couple’s release had been ongoing.
His death is coming weeks after he and his wife were abducted, along the Matazu axis of the state.
The Katsina State government confirmed the death of the retired senior military officer on Saturday, stating that he died of natural causes while in captivity after reportedly suffering complications related to diabetes and hypertension.
General Abubakar and his wife, Amina Abubakar, were kidnapped in late May 2026, when armed men ambushed their vehicle on the Karaduwa–Matazu Road, while they were travelling to Katsina.
Their driver reportedly escaped the attack despite sustaining gunshot injuries.
The abduction sparked widespread concern across the country, with security agencies launching efforts to secure the couple’s release.
The Katsina State government had earlier disclosed that investigations suggested the retired general and his wife were deliberately tracked from Kaduna before being intercepted by their abductors in Katsina State.
Days before news of his death emerged, a video released by the kidnappers showed General Abubakar and his wife appealing to authorities and community leaders to intervene on their behalf.
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In the footage, the couple pleaded for efforts to secure their freedom while conveying the demands of their captors.
The abductors, reportedly operating under the leadership of a notorious bandit commander, identified as Kachalla Maha, demanded the release of three detained associates and the return of livestock allegedly seized from them by authorities.
In a statement issued through the Katsina State Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, the government said extensive efforts by state authorities and security agencies to secure the retired general’s release had been exhausted before his death.
Officials described the development as a tragic loss, noting that Governor Dikko Radda had directed security agencies to prioritize the rescue of the former military spokesman and other victims held by bandit groups in the state.
Earlier government statements had expressed optimism that ongoing intelligence-led operations would secure the couple’s freedom.
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