A newly surfaced video shows retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, the former Director of Defence Information at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ), alongside his wife, following their abduction along the Matazu axis of Katsina State.
The video, which has been making the rounds across social media and security networks, provides the first visual confirmation of the couple since they were taken by armed men in the Matazu Local Government Area.
In the recording, the retired senior military officer and his wife appear to be speaking under intense duress, pleading for mercy and making an emotional appeal for their release.
The clip shows them positioned in an undisclosed forest location, forced to speak while surrounded by armed men.
According to security sources familiar with the situation, the kidnappers seem to be utilizing the footage as leverage for ongoing negotiations. Local security networks suggest that a notorious bandit kingpin identified as “Kachalla Maha” is involved in the talks.
Emerging claims indicate that the abductors are allegedly demanding a prisoner exchange, seeking the release of some of their associates currently in custody in return for the freedom of the retired general and his wife.
The video’s release follows initial reports that Major General Abubakar and his wife were intercepted and captured while traveling through Katsina State.
While their driver managed to escape the assault despite sustaining gunshot injuries, their vehicle was later recovered and transported to a local police division.
At the time of the incident, security authorities withheld official statements, though urgent messages regarding the abduction quickly circulated through military and security contacts.
Katsina State, along with neighboring Zamfara, continues to serve as an epicenter for banditry in northwestern Nigeria.
The region frequently experiences mass kidnappings, ransom negotiations, and violent attacks on both rural communities and major highways.
This latest footage has heightened anxieties regarding the safety of high-profile victims and raised critical questions about the lingering operational strength of armed groups controlling the forest corridors of the North-West.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Nigerian military nor the Katsina State Police Command has released an updated official statement regarding the video or the current condition of the captive retired general and his wife.
See video below:
