Fresh facts have emerged on the harrowing experiences endured by the former Director of Defence Information, Major General Rabe Abubakar (rtd), and his wife, Amina, while in the bush following their abduction by bandits in Katsina State.

There have been contradictory accounts regarding the circumstances surrounding their abduction, what happened to them while in captivity, how General Rabe died, and how his wife was rescued.

The wife, who survived gunshot wounds, has yet to grant an official interview to give a vivid account of their ordeal in captivity.

She regained her freedom shortly after the death of her husband.

The death of General Rabe sparked widespread condemnation from millions of Nigerians, even as the federal and Katsina State governments, as well as the military high command, struggled to keep Nigerians updated on what they were doing to address the situation.

Until Thursday, June 18, 2026, when she was transferred to Abuja for further medical attention, Weekend Trust gathered that the General’s widow, Hajiya Amina, had been receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Katsina.

It was learnt that the section of the hospital where she was attended to while in Katsina,was highly restricted, as only her doctors, nurses, immediate family members, close acquaintances and top government officials had access to her.

However, two credible sources who had access to her said that, after initial treatment and regaining some strength, she gave them an account of what happened to her and her late husband while in the hands of their abductors.

The two sources, who separately spoke in confidence because they were not authorised to speak on the matter, said that, based on what she told them, Hajiya Amina was extremely lucky to be alive.

‘Troops picked Gen Rabe’s widow after bandits dumped her’

One of those who spoke to Weekend Trust, said Hajiya Amina told them that she had earlier given up any chance of survival because of all that she passed through, including the loss of blood from the gunshot wound she sustained.

The source said: “She told us that shortly after the death of her husband, the bandits who held them hostage became extremely jittery and agitated.

“They soon brought their motorcycles and made emergency preparations to flee. They mounted her on one of the motorcycles and fled the location where they had been holding her and her husband in a convoy. From all indications, they were more interested in her than the other captives because they did not make any effort to evacuate their other victims.

“According to her, while the bandits were speeding through the bush on their motorcycles with a view to evading confrontation with troops, they began to hear sounds of gunfire from a distance.

“She told us that the development disoriented the fleeing bandits and they all went in different directions instead of riding together.

“She also told us that the man who was riding with her on his motorcycle soon became frustrated and stopped midway. He forced her to alight from the motorcycle and, probably out of frustration, shot her in the thigh before fleeing the scene.”

The source said the General’s wife bled profusely as she reeled in pain.

“There was no way she could stand or walk because of the bullet wound. It was in that state that someone approached her from a nearby hamlet,” the source recounted, based on what she told them.

He added: “According to Hajiya Amina, the man asked her what had happened and she narrated her ordeal to him. She was in a state of fear, panting and sweating profusely.

“Or are you the wife of General Rabe,” the man asked her and she answered in the affirmative.

“She told us that while the man was trying to assist her, they both heard the sound of gunfire, apparently from approaching military operatives who were combing the area in search of her.

“So, the good Samaritan fled for his life. She told us that within a few minutes, the soldiers arrived at the scene and found her.

The source said the scene quickly turned celebratory when the soldiers discovered that the woman was the wife of General Rabe.

He said Hajiya Amina told them that this was when the man who first discovered her returned to the scene.

“We were told that the soldiers only had their rifles, so they asked the man to bring a plank, which they used to convey the General’s wife to their vehicle and thereafter to a hospital in a neighbouring town, where she received first aid before she was moved to the FMC in Katsina,” he said.

It was gathered that the gunshot wound suffered by Hajiya Amina was not lifethreatening, as the bullet did not break the bone in her thigh.

“The bullet pierced the flesh of the upper leg between the hip and knee. But then, it could have been fatal because she was bleeding heavily,” the source said.

General Rabe died in Hajia Amina’s hands — Another source

Another source, who also said he spoke with Mrs Rabe, while she was on her hospital bed in Katsina, said the widow told them that her husband died in her arms while in the bush.

“Contrary to what the Katsina State Government said, which was widely circulated in both the social and conventional media, she told us that her husband did not have diabetes or hypertension. He was hale and hearty when they were abducted,” the source said.

According to the source, “She told us that there was a likelihood that he was bitten by a snake because when she noticed that his leg was swollen, she drew the attention of the bandits, who reluctantly told her that he had been bitten by a snake.

“They brought some mashed leaves and applied them to the swollen leg, but there was no improvement as the General’s health deteriorated within a short time.

“She told us that he died in her arms.

She told us that there was a likelihood that he was bitten by a snake because when she noticed that his leg was swollen, she drew the attention of the bandits, who reluctantly told her that he had been bitten by a snake.

It was a very difficult moment for her,” the source said.

Weekend Trust had earlier gathered that while General Rabe was alive, the bandits wanted to release his wife, but she declined, insisting that she wanted to regain freedom alongside her husband.

Reacting to General Rabe’s death, the military high command had said it deliberately refrained from public comment on his abduction in deference to rescue efforts by the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies.

The Director, Defence Information, Samaila Uba, a Brigadier-General, explained that the military high command expended every resource in securing his safe rescue before his death.

Uba described late Rabe as a committed officer who contributed immensely to counter-insurgency operations and professional development of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

“Maj Gen Abubakar served the nation with distinction and held many appointments, including spokesperson of various military formations as well as spokesman for the Armed Forces of Nigeria as Director Defence Information.

“He made immense contributions to counter-insurgency operations, professional development of the Armed Forces and numerous other commendable and outstanding impacts.

“His commitment to duty and to the unity of Nigeria remains a shining example for all personnel of the Armed forces,” the statement said.

Leaked information on impending offensive on hideout?

A security source confided in Weekend Trust that an investigation was ongoing to unravel how the bandits got to know that there was a plan to invade their enclave with a view to rescuing Mrs Rabe.

“Before the troops were dispatched, the location was carefully mapped and all the coordinates sorted out.

“Of course, we know some of the bandits have access to the internet and information. It remains curious why they attempted to flee the location where they kept the General, his wife and others hostage for days.

“Like in many other operations, there is no way the government will dismiss the possibility of sabotage in this situation. Only time will tell,” the officer said.

How Gen Rabe, wife were abducted

Weekend Trust recalls that General Rabe, his wife and driver were ambushed and abducted on May 30, 2026, along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Their driver, who escaped with gunshot injuries, was also treated at the FMC, Katsina, and thereafter transferred to a referral hospital outside the state for further treatment.

The couple was held in a forest hideout by bandits for days, and a video later surfaced showing both of them appealing for compliance with the kidnappers’ demands.

The abductors reportedly demanded prisoner releases and other concessions.

Government sources later said their abduction was planned and targeted, with the victims allegedly tracked from Kaduna before the attack.

The Katsina State Government, which confirmed that General Rabe died while still in captivity, said in a statement: “The deceased retired General died a natural death from complications of diabetes and hypertension.”

It also said: “Despite the relentless and concerted efforts of the State Government and various security agencies to secure his safe release, the situation ended in this tragedy.”

The government further described his death as a “tragic loss”.

On the recovery of Mrs Rabe, the Defence Headquarters said on Monday, June 15, that the operation followed intensified search-and-rescue efforts by troops of Operation Fansan Yamma.

A statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Maj Gen Samaila Uba, said troops made contact with the kidnappers at Tunga Village during sustained offensive operations against criminal elements in the area.

“…In the course of the encounter, the bandits shot Mrs Abubakar before abandoning her and fleeing due to the overwhelming pressure from advancing troops,” the statement said.

“Mrs Abubakar was immediately evacuated and is currently receiving medical attention at a military hospital,

The couple was held in a forest hideout by bandits for days, and a video later surfaced showing both of them appealing for compliance with the kidnappers’ demands.

where she is responding to treatment,” Uba stated.

“The leadership of the Armed Forces of Nigeria remains committed to ensuring her full recovery and is providing all necessary support to her family during this difficult period,” the statement added.

The military also vowed to sustain operations aimed at apprehending those responsible for the abduction and other criminal activities.

Weekend Trust gathered that General Rabe and his wife were abducted by a ring connected to Kachalla Muhammad Fulani, a notorious bandit kingpin and kidnapper who operates across the North-West and specifically terrorises communities in Matazu, Musawa, Kankia and Charanchi local government areas of Katsina State, as well as parts of Kano State. His criminal network is known for orchestrating mass abductions and demanding huge ransoms.

@Weekend Trust