Bandits operating along the Matazu axis of Katsina State have abducted Major General Rabe Abubakar (rtd) and his wife.

According to a security source, Abubakar, who was Director of Defence Information, was travelling to Katsina for a wedding when the armed men struck on Saturday.

His driver was said to have escaped with gunshot injury but the retired General and his wife were whisked into the forest.

In a video circulating on social media, the vehicle in which the victims were travelling was seen parked inside Matazu Divisonal Police Headquarters.

Daily Trust reporter spotted at least two gunshot holes on the body of the red Peugeot 504 car.

This is the second known attack involving a retired General in Katsina since the abduction of Brigadier -General Maharazu Tsiga in 2025.

Tsiga, a former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), spent 56 days in captivity.

Katsina has been a hotspot for crime despite several efforts to restore normalcy.

On Friday, bandits raided Kiliya village in Dutsinma Local Government Area of Katsina, killing at least 16 people.

The tragic incident occurred after residents concluded Juma’at prayers and were gathered in celebration of the Eid-el-Kabir festivities.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was among villagers relaxing after prayers when bandits rode into the area, triggering panic among residents.

“People started running when they saw them, but the gunmen ordered everyone to stop.”

“Moments later, they went towards a mechanic’s house and suddenly began shooting at residents and passersby,” Channels TV quoted him to have said.

The witness also said that he narrowly escaped death after taking refuge inside a nearby house.

“After the Friday prayers, we were sitting together when I called a boy selling local drinks and bought a bowl from him. Suddenly, the bandits arrived. The boy and I ran into a house and hid.

“While inside, we heard screams and gunshots everywhere. When the shooting eventually stopped, and we came out, we found about 16 lifeless bodies, including some of my uncles and cousins,” he lamented.

The attack reportedly triggered a mass displacement of residents, with more than 400 villagers reportedly fleeing to neighbouring Bagagadi and Radda villages in search of safety.

Several others remain unaccounted for, raising fears that the death toll could rise.

Residents said some victims may have been killed while working on their farms, as several bodies were reportedly discovered in farmlands surrounding the village.

(Daily Trust)

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