Gunmen Abduct Former Defence Spokesman, Major General Rabe Abubakar, Wife in Katsina

Suspected bandits have abducted retired Major General Rabe Abubakar alongside his wife in a daring highway ambush along the Katsina–Matazu road.

The incident occurred on Saturday in the Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.

According to local sources, heavily armed men blocked the couple’s vehicle mid-journey, forced them out, and dragged them into the surrounding forests.

While the General and his wife were captured, their driver managed a harrowing escape.

Reports say he was shot and wounded during the initial volley of gunfire, but survived the encounter and is reportedly receiving medical attention.

Major General Abubakar, served as the Director of Defence Information (DDI), acting as the official face and voice of the Nigerian Armed Forces during a critical period of his military career.

The high-profile kidnapping shows the perilous security vacuum gripping Nigeria’s North-West region.

Despite repeated assurances and ongoing offensive operations by security forces, major transit routes in Katsina State remain highly vulnerable to militant factions and criminal syndicates.

At the time of publication, neither the Nigerian Army nor the Katsina State Police Command had issued an official statement regarding the abduction or rescue efforts.

As DDI (appointed around 2015), Major General Abubakar was responsible for managing the military’s image during the height of the counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram in the Northeast.

Before his stint as the defense spokesperson, he also coordinated public relations and civil-military affairs for the Joint Task Force (JTF) “Operation Pulo Shield” in the Niger Delta.