A retired Major General, Abubakar Rabe, and his wife, Hajiya Amina Abubakar, have appealed to authorities and community leaders to facilitate their rescue after spending one week in captivity following their abduction in Katsina State.
The plea was contained in a four-minute video released by their abductors and circulated on social media on Saturday, heightening concerns over the worsening security situation in the North-West.
In the footage, the visibly distressed couple spoke under duress, relaying the demands of their captors, who called for the release of three detained individuals—identified as Sani, Aminu and Nasiru—as well as the return of livestock allegedly seized from them.
Hajiya Amina, who spoke at length in the video, said two of the individuals were reportedly arrested in Jikamshi, while the third was apprehended in Kano.
“We are appealing to the Katsina State Government and leaders of the affected local government areas to help address these demands so that we can regain our freedom,” she said.
Speaking briefly, Rabe urged all stakeholders to pursue a peaceful resolution, noting that the abductors had expressed willingness for dialogue.
“The people holding us have expressed a desire for peaceful coexistence. I appeal to all concerned to work towards peace and ensure that this matter is resolved amicably,” he said.
Notably, the abductors did not make any direct monetary ransom demand in the video—an unusual development in a region where kidnappings are often driven by financial motives.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the retired senior military officer, his wife and their driver, Abdullahi Sa’idu, were abducted last Saturday along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road in Matazu Local Government Area.
The victims were said to be travelling to Katsina when armed men suspected to be bandits ambushed their vehicle near Zakin Baure village, opening fire and forcing it to a halt.
The driver reportedly sustained a gunshot injury to the hand during the attack but was spared by the assailants.
Security sources familiar with the incident disclosed that a notorious bandit leader, Kachallah Muhammad, had established contact with the family, raising fears of a prolonged negotiation process.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Katsina State Government nor security agencies had issued an official response to the viral video or the demands made by the abductors.
The latest incident underscores the persistent wave of kidnappings and banditry across Nigeria’s North-West, where criminal groups continue to exploit weak security presence and local grievances to carry out abductions with increasing sophistication.
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