ABUJA — The Defence Headquarters has deployed intelligence assets to secure the release of former Director of Defence Information, Rabe Abubakar, and his wife following their abduction by suspected terrorists in Katsina State.
A senior military officer, who spoke confidentially on the operation, said troops were working “round the clock” to rescue the retired major general and his wife but declined to disclose operational details.
The couple was reportedly abducted on Saturday along the Katsina–Matazu road in Matazu Local Government Area while travelling from Abuja for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
According to police authorities, the attackers intercepted a red Peugeot 406 saloon vehicle carrying the victims before taking them to an unknown destination.
In a statement, the Katsina State Police Command said the incident occurred at about 11:00 a.m. on May 30, 2026, when suspected armed bandits attacked the vehicle along the Karaduwa-Matazu Road.
The statement, signed by police spokesperson Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said the driver, identified as Abdullahi Sa’id, sustained a gunshot wound to his right arm during the attack.
Police added that two occupants of the vehicle, identified as Abdullahi Batsari and Amina Abdullahi, were abducted before security operatives arrived at the scene.
The Divisional Police Officer in Matazu, accompanied by personnel from the Victim and Crime Response Unit (VCRU), reportedly responded swiftly, secured the area, and evacuated the injured driver for medical treatment.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Katsina State, Ali Umar Fage, has visited the scene of the attack and ordered the deployment of additional personnel and operational assets to strengthen ongoing rescue efforts.
Rabe Abubakar served as Director of Defence Information during his military career and was a prominent voice in military communications and public information management within the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The abduction has again highlighted persistent security challenges across parts of northern Nigeria despite continued military operations against banditry and terrorist activities.
