Truth Radar Times

June 21, 2026 12:45am

By Thlama Samuel

Fresh details have emerged about the heartbreaking final moments of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, former Director of Defence Information, and the terrifying ordeal endured by his wife, Hajiya Amina Abubakar, while they were held captive by bandits in Katsina State.

The couple was abducted on May 30, 2026, alongside their driver while travelling along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road in Katsina State. Their driver managed to escape despite sustaining gunshot injuries, but the retired General and his wife were taken deep into the forest by their captors.
According to sources who spoke after visiting Hajiya Amina during her treatment, the retired General’s final days were filled with pain and suffering. Contrary to earlier claims that he died from complications related to diabetes and hypertension, she reportedly said her husband appeared healthy before the abduction. She recalled noticing that one of his legs became severely swollen, leading the bandits to claim he had been bitten by a snake. They reportedly treated him with herbal leaves, but his condition worsened until he died in her arms.

Following the General’s death, the bandits reportedly became alarmed as military operations intensified in the area. They hurriedly fled with Hajiya Amina on motorcycles through the forest. During the escape, the kidnappers allegedly became disoriented after hearing gunfire from approaching troops. One of the bandits eventually forced her off the motorcycle and shot her in the thigh before fleeing, leaving her badly injured and bleeding in the bush.

A local resident later found the wounded woman and attempted to help her before soldiers arrived at the scene. Military personnel rescued her and transported her to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment before she was transferred to the Federal Medical Centre in Katsina and later moved to Abuja for further medical care

The death of Major General Rabe Abubakar has sparked nationwide grief and renewed concerns over the worsening insecurity across northern Nigeria. Many Nigerians have questioned how a retired senior military officer could lose his life while in the custody of bandits despite rescue efforts by security agencies.

The Nigerian military has maintained that it committed significant resources to rescue the retired General, describing him as a patriotic officer who served the nation with distinction throughout his military career.

As Nigerians continue to mourn, the tragic story serves as another painful reminder of the devastating impact of kidnapping and banditry on families and communities across the country.