Abducted retired Army General, Wife plead for help in new released video

A week after their abduction in Katsina State, retired Major General Abubakar Rabe and his wife have appealed to government authorities to intervene and secure their freedom.

The appeal was contained in a video released by their captors and circulated on social media, showing the couple in captivity.

In the footage, which lasts just over four minutes, the retired military officer and his wife were seen standing as they relayed conditions reportedly set by the kidnappers for their release.

Speaking in the video, Hajiya Amina Abubakar, wife of the retired general, said the abductors were demanding the release of three individuals identified as Sani, Aminu and Nasiru.

According to her, the kidnappers also want the return of livestock allegedly confiscated from them.

She claimed that two of the individuals whose release was being sought were arrested in Jikamshi, while the third was arrested in Kano.

The woman appealed to the Katsina State Government and authorities in five local government areas to assist in meeting the demands of the abductors in order to secure their freedom.

In his brief remarks, the retired general urged efforts toward peace, saying the kidnappers had indicated a willingness to engage in dialogue and peaceful coexistence.

Notably, no ransom demand was mentioned in the video.

Neither the Katsina State Government nor security agencies had issued an official response to the footage as of the time of filing this report.

The former army officer, his wife and their driver, Abdullahi Sa’idu, were abducted on June 6 while travelling to Katsina.

The incident occurred along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli axis in Matazu Local Government Area after armed men reportedly ambushed their vehicle near Zakin Baure village.

Witnesses said the attackers emerged from hiding, blocked the road and opened fire on the vehicle, forcing it to stop.

Sources familiar with the incident said the driver sustained a gunshot wound to his hand during the attack but was later spared by the gunmen.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that a notorious bandit leader identified as Kachallah Muhammad has established contact with relatives of the victims.

Sources told Daily Trust the suspected kingpin, who operates in parts of Katsina State, reportedly opened communication with the family shortly after the abduction, although details of the discussions remain unclear.

BREAKING; Police rescue Adelabu’s sister, twin sons alive, kill two kidnappers

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have rescued Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, during a rescue operation conducted on Saturday evening, three days after they were abducted in Oyo State.

The victims, including the younger sister of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, were freed at about 7:30 p.m. following sustained intelligence-led operations by security personnel.

Police sources said two suspected kidnappers were killed during a gun battle with operatives, while two firearms were recovered from the gang.

Mrs. John-Paul and her children were reportedly kidnapped at about 7:30 a.m. on June 3 while on their way to school.

According to security sources, intelligence gathering and continuous tactical pressure mounted on the kidnappers forced the criminals into a confrontation with police operatives, leading to the successful rescue of the victims.

The victims were rescued unharmed and have since been reunited with their family.

Meanwhile, security operatives have launched a manhunt for other members of the kidnapping syndicate who escaped during the operation.

Senator Ndume hails President Tinubu saysNorth would reward him with votes

Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the reconstruction and dualisation of the Gombe–Biu highway, describing it as a strategic intervention that will transform connectivity and economic activity in the North-East.

The federal government had on Thursday flagged off the 125-kilometre Gombe–Biu road project at a cost of N1.245 trillion under a major infrastructure renewal programme.

In a statement on Saturday, Ndume said the project would significantly improve regional integration, boost commerce, and strengthen security operations across affected corridors in the North-East.

He noted that he had consistently advocated for the rehabilitation of the highway under successive administrations, citing repeated engagements with key government officials over the years.

“In 2019, during a high-level engagement with the then Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, which I initiated, I expressed concerns regarding the deplorable condition of the Biu–Gombe Road, emphasizing its strategic significance to economic integration, inter-state mobility, security operations, and regional development within the North-East subregion,” he said.

The senator added that he renewed his advocacy in 2021 during discussions on national infrastructure financing, where he again pushed for the inclusion of the corridor in federal priority projects.

“Also in July 2021, during an engagement with the Ministry of Works, during deliberations connected to national infrastructure financing frameworks, including projects tied to African Development Bank-supported facilities, I also made presentation on the urgent need to include the Biu–Gombe corridor within federal rehabilitation priorities, strategic funding windows, and long-term infrastructure development frameworks,” he said.

Ndume further disclosed that a letter he sent to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, on February 11, 2026, helped reinforce the case for the project’s approval.

“It is heart warming to note that my interaction with the present Minister of Works, Engineer Dave Umahi in a letter dated February 11, 2026, in which I drew his attention to the exclusion of the Biu/Damboa/Maiduguri all in Borno state in the 2026 Budget Four Legacy Projects of the present administration finally paid off as the Federal Executive Council (FEC) eventually approved the Biu–Gombe Road project under the federal tax credit and infrastructure intervention framework,” he said.

“The project was subsequently captured among strategic national road interventions financed through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) tax liabilities arrangement.”

Ndume described the highway as a “strategic” economic and security corridor linking the North-East with other parts of Nigeria and neighbouring countries, adding that its rehabilitation would also help curb insurgency by improving mobility for security agencies.

While expressing appreciation to President Tinubu for the approval, the senator urged the Federal Government to extend the project beyond Biu to Maiduguri, Monguno, Ngala, and down to Yola.

“I want to appreciate Mr. President for listening to my calls. It is a laudable project that will unlock economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for Nigerians,” he said.

“Like Oliver Twist, we want to appeal to President Tinubu to extend the road network not only to Biu, but to Maiduguri and up to Monguno and Ngala, and then down to Yola.”

“Those are very critical roads that go down to the border that will also promote inter-country trade and also help in the fight against insurgency because they always take advantage of the bad road to block people and kidnap travelers on that road.

“I am sure that the people of the North East will appreciate this gesture of Mr. President and reward him with their votes in the forthcoming general elections.”