A Nigerian bandit group holding retired Major General Rabe Abubakar and his wife captive has issued an unusually political set of demands, insisting not on a cash ransom but on a prisoner exchange and the restitution of livestock—a development that poses a delicate challenge for both federal and state authorities.
In a four-minute video obtained by reporters, the general’s wife, Amina Abubakar, said the kidnappers were demanding the release of three detained individuals identified as Sani, Aminu and Nasiru, as well as the return of livestock allegedly seized from them during security operations. According to her, two of the individuals were arrested in Jikamshi, while the third was detained in Kano.
She appealed to the Katsina state government and leaders of five local government areas to intervene and facilitate the fulfilment of the demands. Speaking in Hausa, her tone was measured but urgent, as she urged traditional rulers and community leaders to broker a resolution.
Speaking briefly in the footage, the retired general, Maj. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, urged stakeholders to pursue peace, noting that his captors had indicated a willingness to engage in dialogue and coexist peacefully. “I appeal for efforts that will promote peace,” he said. “They have indicated interest in dialogue and peaceful coexistence.”
The couple were abducted on 30 May while travelling from Abuja to Katsina for a wedding ceremony. According to security sources, armed men struck along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli road in Matazu local government area. The driver escaped with gunshot injuries, while the retired general and his wife were taken into a nearby forest. The couple’s red Peugeot 504 was later recovered by police and moved to the Matazu Divisional Police Headquarters, where reporters observed at least two bullet holes in the vehicle’s bodywork.
The Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli road — a route residents have repeatedly described as vulnerable to criminal attacks — has become a flashpoint for abductions and armed robbery in the region.
Sources familiar with the situation told the Guardian Nigeria that the bandit leader, identified as Kachallah Muhammad, established contact with the family within 48 hours of the abduction, insisting on the release of detained associates held by security agencies rather than a cash payment. The same source indicated that Muhammad also signalled a willingness to return to negotiations aimed at reducing violence in Matazu and surrounding communities — suggesting the abduction may serve a dual purpose as both leverage and a bid for political recognition.
Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, served as one of the Nigerian military’s most senior public spokespeople. His abduction alongside his wife has drawn alarm within the armed forces. A top military source confirmed the institution was aware of the situation and pledged to act to secure his release: “We have received the sad news of his abduction and that of his wife, and we will act accordingly to ensure he and his wife are rescued.”
The demand for a prisoner exchange rather than money marks a notable shift in the tactics of Nigeria’s north-west bandit groups, which have in recent years evolved from cattle rustling into sophisticated criminal networks operating across vast ungoverned territories. Analysts have warned that meeting such demands could embolden further politically-motivated abductions, while refusing them risks the lives of the captives.
As of the time of reporting, neither the Katsina state government nor any federal security agency had issued an official response to the video or to the conditions set by the abductors. The silence from official quarters has deepened anxiety among the couple’s family and prompted calls from civil society groups for greater transparency over how the government intends to handle the crisis.
