MAJOR General Abubakar Rabe (retd) and his wife, who were abducted along the Karaduwa–Matazu Road in Katsina State exactly one week ago, have appealed to the government to come to their aid after their captors released a video showing them in captivity.
News Point Nigeria reports that the video, which has been circulating on social media, showed the retired army officer and his wife standing and relaying the demands of their abductors.
In the four-minute, two-second footage, the couple appeared calm as they appealed for intervention to secure their release.
Speaking in the video, the wife of the retired military officer conveyed the demands of the abductors, who called for the release of three of their members identified as Sani, Aminu and Nasiru.
The abductors also demanded the return of livestock allegedly seized from them.
According to her account, two of the detained individuals were arrested in Jikamshi, while the third was arrested in Kano.
She appealed to the Katsina State Government as well as leaders of five local government areas to facilitate compliance with the demands in order to secure their freedom.
The retired Major General, who spoke briefly in the video, called for efforts aimed at ensuring peace, noting that the abductors had expressed interest in dialogue and peaceful coexistence.
Throughout the video, no ransom demand was mentioned by the abductors.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Katsina State Government nor security agencies had issued an official statement regarding the video released by the kidnappers.
The retired army officer was reportedly travelling to Katsina on Saturday alongside his wife, Hajiya Amina Abubakar, and their driver, Abdullahi Sa’idu, when their vehicle was ambushed along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road in Matazu Local Government Area.
The attack occurred near Zakin Baure village, where witnesses said armed men believed to be bandits suddenly emerged from hiding, blocked the road and opened fire on the vehicle, forcing it to stop.
Sources familiar with the incident told Daily Trust that the driver sustained a gunshot wound to the hand during the attack but was later spared by the gunmen.
Meanwhile, notorious bandit leader Kachallah Muhammad has reportedly established communication with relatives of the abducted victims.
Sources told correspondents that the bandit kingpin, who operates in parts of Katsina State, opened a line of communication with members of the retired General’s family on Monday morning.