The Katsina State Government says coordinated security operations aimed at securing the release of retired Director of Defence Information, Major General Rabe Abubakar, and his wife, who were recently abducted along the Matazu axis, have reached an advanced stage, expressing optimism that the victims will soon regain their freedom.
In a statement issued on June 6, 2026, by the Ministry of Information and Culture, the government disclosed that Governor Dikko Umaru Radda directed all relevant security agencies to prioritise the safe rescue of the retired senior military officer, his spouse, and other victims held by suspected bandits.
According to preliminary investigations, the abduction was deliberate and targeted, with evidence suggesting that the victims were trailed from Kaduna before being kidnapped. Authorities say the development points to the involvement of organised criminal groups with a high level of coordination and surveillance capability.
The state government noted that the precision of the operation has further informed ongoing security strategies aimed at ensuring a focused and intelligence-driven rescue effort.
Describing the incident as an affront to the state and to citizens who have served the nation, the government reaffirmed its commitment to bringing the perpetrators to justice and dismantling criminal networks operating in the region.
Officials said security operations are being guided by enhanced intelligence gathering, technology deployment, and ground surveillance, with inter-agency collaboration involving the Nigerian Army, the Police, and other security services.
The government also appealed to members of the public to provide credible information that could assist ongoing investigations, stressing that community intelligence remains critical to disrupting the network behind the abduction.
Security forces, according to the statement, have maintained a sustained presence in the affected area as part of broader efforts to ensure a safe and swift rescue.
Reassuring residents, the government urged the family of Major General Abubakar and the general public to remain calm, adding that ongoing high-level operations were expected to yield positive results in due course.
Further updates will be communicated as developments unfold.
