Nigerian Army rescues wife of retired general who died in bandits’ captivity

Troops of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), have rescued the wife of the late Rabe Abubakar, a retired army general, who died in bandits’ captivity.   In a statement issued on Monday, the defence headquarters (DHQ) said the “rescue operation followed intensified search-and-rescue efforts conducted by troops of Operation FASAN YAMMA.”   “During sustained offensive operations and pressure mounted on the criminal elements, troops made contact with the bandits at Tunga Village, leading to the successful recovery of Mrs Abubakar,” the statement signed by Samaila Uba, the director of defence information, added.   “Mrs Abubakar was immediately evacuated and is currently receiving medical attention at a military hospital, where she is responding to treatment.”   Uba said the leadership of the Armed Forces of Nigeria remains committed to ensuring her full recovery and is providing all necessary support to her family.   He added that troops would sustain ongoing operations to track down and neutralise those responsible for the attack.   The late former director of defence information and his wife were abducted in May while travelling through Katsina.   On June 6, a video surfaced online, showing Abubakar and his wife appealing to the Katsina government to release detained bandits and their livestock to secure their freedom from captivity.   On Saturday, the Katsina state government announced that the retired general had died in captivity.   The remains of Abubakar were laid to rest at the Gidan Dawa Cemetery in Katsina state on Saturday.

The wife of the late retired Major General Abubakar Rabe, who died in the custody of bandits, has been rescued by the Nigerian Army as fresh development emerges.

Nigerian Army troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have rescued Mrs Abubakar, wife of retired Maj.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, following a deadly encounter with armed bandits in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State. Popular security expert Zagazola Makama disclosed this in an exclusive report posted on his official X handle on Monday night. He said the operation, conducted […] BREAKING: Troops rescue wife of late General Rabe Abubakar in Katsina

 The Nigerian Army says it has launched a new ‘deliberate offensive’ operation targeting bandits operating within Matazu LGA and nearby communities in Katsina state, after the death of Rabe Abubakar, the retired major-general.   Aliyu Danja, media information officer of the joint task force (north-west), in a statement on Monday, said the operation is called ‘Operation Clean Sweep III’.   “The operation was launched following the unfortunate incident that led to the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who was abducted alongside his wife by suspected terrorists and bandits in the area,” the statement reads.   “The operation is aimed at locating and neutralizing the perpetrators of the heinous act, dismantling criminal networks and restoring security within the affected communities.     “Since the commencement of the operation on 14 June 2026, troops have conducted aggressive fighting patrols, intelligence-led raids, cordon-and-search operations and clearance missions across identified criminal hideouts and suspected terrorist enclaves within the Joint Operations Area (JOA).”   Danja said that in the course of the ongoing offensive, troops have recorded successes in the Dikkawa hills general area and surrounding communities.   He added that troops conducted clearance operations on identified terrorist hideouts in Adua, Nasarawa and Karaduwa areas, where several criminal enclaves were searched and combed.     “During the operations, terrorists’ life-support structures and logistics bases were discovered and destroyed, further degrading the criminals’ ability to operate within the area,” the statement reads.   “The operation is being conducted in close collaboration with sister services, other security agencies and local stakeholders whose support continues to contribute significantly to ongoing efforts aimed at improving security within the state.”   Abubakar, a former director of defence information, and his wife were abducted in May while travelling through Katsina.   On June 6, a video showing Abubakar and his wife appealing to the Katsina government for the release of detained bandits and livestock surfaced online.   A statement on Saturday by Nasiru Mu’azu, commissioner for internal security and home affairs, said Abubakar died from complications of diabetes and hypertension.

The remains of Rabe Abubakar, the retired major general who died in captivity, have been laid to rest at the Gidan Dawa Cemetery in Katsina state.   According to NAN, the burial, conducted according to Islamic rites, took place at about 6:45pm on Saturday, shortly after the release of his remains by the bandits.   The funeral drew a large gathering of mourners, including Faruq Lawal-Jobe, the state’s deputy governor.   Other dignitaries at the burial included senior government officials, military officers, traditional rulers, family members and sympathisers.   Also in attendance was the commander of the 17 Brigade in Katsina, alongside other security personnel, who paid their final respects to the late senior military officer.   The former director of defence information and his wife were abducted in May while travelling through Katsina.   On June 6, a video surfaced online, showing Abubakar and his wife appealing to the Katsina government to release detained bandits and their livestock to secure their freedom from captivity.   On Saturday, the Katsina state government announced that the retired general had died in captivity.   Nasiru Mu’azu, the state commissioner for internal security and home affairs, said Abubakar died from complications related to diabetes and hypertension.   Samaila Uba, director of defence information at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), also confirmed Abubakar’s death, describing it as a “tragic loss”.   The statement said the military withheld public comments on the retired general’s abduction to avoid jeopardising rescue efforts.

The current spike in kidnapping across the country took a frightening dimension as abducted former spokesman of the Nigerian Army, retired Major General Abubakar Rabe,   died  in the custody of bandits who abducted him in Katsina State. The post Abducted retired General dies in terrorists’ captivity, wife released appeared first on Vanguard News.