Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The armed group holding retired Major General Rabe Abubakar Batsari and his wife has made direct contact with the family, rejecting financial ransom and demanding the release of their detained members as the sole condition for freeing the couple. A notorious bandit leader identified as Kachallah Muhammad is said to be behind the abduction, which occurred along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli road in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State on Saturday, 30 May 2026.
Security and community sources confirmed that Kachallah Muhammad established communication with the general’s relatives on Monday, less than 48 hours after the abduction. The abductors allowed the retired officer to speak briefly during the contact, and he confirmed that both he and his wife were alive and in stable condition. A senior official in Batsari Local Government Area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Daily Trust: “I spoke with Major General Rabe through Kachallah Muhammad. He told us that he is hale and hearty and that his wife is also fine.”
During the interaction, the bandit leader made his demands unequivocal: the release of his relatives who are in government custody. According to a source close to the negotiations, Kachallah Muhammad insisted on a prisoner swap and expressed a willingness to return to the negotiation table to restore peace in Matazu and neighbouring communities. The demand for a prisoner exchange marks a departure from the more common practice of seeking monetary ransom, adding complexity to efforts aimed at securing the couple’s release.
The retired general and his wife were travelling to Katsina for a wedding ceremony when heavily armed assailants blocked their vehicle and opened fire, forcing it to a halt before abducting them into a nearby forest. The driver escaped with gunshot wounds and was not taken. The red Peugeot 406 vehicle was later recovered and taken to the Matazu Division of the Nigeria Police Force.
The Defence Headquarters has ordered the deployment of intelligence assets and said troops were working round the clock to rescue the senior officer. However, as of Wednesday, 3 June 2026, neither the Katsina State Police Command nor military authorities had issued an official statement on the reported negotiations or any ongoing rescue operation.
Family members have appealed for urgent intervention. A relative, Mariya Ibrahim, said: “He served this country with dedication and deserves protection even in retirement. We want him and his wife rescued safely.” Community leaders expressed deep concern over the abduction, describing it as a dangerous escalation of insecurity in Katsina State. A resident, Ibrahim Mamman Batsari, noted: “If a retired senior military officer can be kidnapped, then ordinary citizens are even more vulnerable. Government must rise to its responsibility.”
The incident has heightened fears across the North‑West, where communities continue to grapple with recurring banditry, kidnappings and violent attacks. Abubakar Ibrahim, a security expert, warned: “The kidnapping of a retired Major General shows how emboldened bandits have become. It exposes the vulnerability of even high‑profile citizens in the region.” As of press time, authorities have yet to respond to the kidnappers’ demand, and the fate of the retired general and his wife remains uncertain.
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