DHQ Confirms Abduction of Ex-Defence Spokesman, Wife, Deploys Intelligence Assets for Rescue
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed the abduction of former Director of Defence Information, Major General Rabe Abubakar (retd.), and his wife by suspected terrorists in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Following the incident, the military high command ordered the deployment of intelligence assets and other operational resources to facilitate the rescue of the retired senior officer and his wife.
A senior military officer, who spoke in confidence on the development, said troops and intelligence operatives were working tirelessly to secure the release of the victims.
“We are working round the clock to rescue him,” the officer said, declining to provide further details about the ongoing operation.
Major General Abubakar and his wife were reportedly abducted on Saturday along the Katsina–Matazu Road while travelling from Abuja to Katsina State for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
According to reports, armed men intercepted their vehicle in Matazu Local Government Area and whisked the couple away to an unknown location. Their driver reportedly escaped with a gunshot injury.
The incident was earlier confirmed by the Katsina State Police Command, which said suspected armed bandits attacked a red Peugeot 406 saloon car along the Karaduwa-Matazu Road on May 30, 2026.
The police said the driver, Abdullahi Sa’id, sustained a gunshot wound to his right arm, while two occupants of the vehicle were abducted before security operatives arrived at the scene.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Katsina State, Ali Umar Fage, visited the scene and deployed additional personnel and assets to reinforce ongoing search-and-rescue efforts aimed at securing the victims’ release and apprehending the perpetrators.
Major General Abubakar, during his years in service, played a prominent role in military communications as Director of Defence Information.
The abduction has once again drawn attention to the security challenges confronting parts of the country despite sustained efforts by security agencies to combat banditry and other violent crimes.