Nigerian Army Rescues Kidnapped Wife of Retired General After Deadly Abduction Incident

The wife of retired Nigerian Major General Rabe Abubakar has been rescued by troops after she was kidnapped alongside her husband in Katsina State. The Nigerian Army said she was freed during a security operation in Tunga village following a clash with armed kidnappers. Her husband reportedly died in captivity due to natural causes, according to state authorities. The kidnapping occurred last month, and the region has long been affected by bandit attacks and ransom-related abductions.

The wife of a retired Nigerian Army general who was abducted alongside her husband in the north-western state of Katsina has been rescued by troops, according to the Nigerian Army.

The rescued woman, identified as Amina Abubakar, was freed following intensified search-and-rescue operations carried out by military personnel after the couple was kidnapped while travelling in Katsina state last month.

Her husband, retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, reportedly died in captivity due to natural causes, according to the Katsina State Government. The circumstances of his death have not been fully detailed, but officials confirmed he did not survive while being held by the abductors.

The Nigerian Army said the rescue operation was successful after troops made contact with armed kidnappers, commonly referred to as bandits, in Tunga village. The confrontation led to Amina Abubakar being safely recovered from her captors.

Authorities said the operation formed part of broader efforts to track down criminal gangs responsible for kidnappings across the region, following increased military deployment and intelligence-driven searches.

The couple was abducted while travelling in Katsina state, one of several states in north-west Nigeria that have been heavily affected by kidnapping-for-ransom incidents in recent years. In the days following their abduction, the kidnappers released a video showing the couple in captivity, raising public concern and prompting intensified rescue efforts.

Over the weekend, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned the incident and pledged stronger action against armed groups operating in the country. He vowed that the government would defeat what he described as Nigeria’s “greatest enemies,” referring to the bandit groups responsible for widespread abductions and insecurity.

President Tinubu also expressed shock over the death of retired Major General Abubakar, who had a long military career spanning several decades. He served in the Nigerian Army from 1989 and held several senior positions, including serving as the military spokesperson between 2015 and 2017, before retiring from service.

Katsina state remains one of the epicentres of Nigeria’s ongoing security crisis, where armed groups frequently target rural communities, highways, and schools. Victims are often kidnapped for ransom, contributing to widespread fear and displacement in affected areas.

Security forces have continued to carry out operations aimed at dismantling these criminal networks, though challenges persist due to difficult terrain, limited intelligence coverage in rural areas, and the mobility of armed gangs operating across state boundaries.

The latest rescue is being viewed by authorities as part of ongoing efforts to improve response times and strengthen coordination in counter-kidnapping operations across north-west Nigeria.