Hajiya Amina Abubakar remains in captivity, sources confirmed on Saturday. She was seized along with her husband, Major General Abubakar Rabe (retired), during an ambush on May 30, 2026.
Gunmen attacked their vehicle on the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli road in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State. The couple was traveling when they were overpowered and taken.
In a four-minute, two-second video posted on social media, both appeared and delivered their captors' demands. Hajiya Amina spoke directly to camera about the men they wanted released.
She identified three detainees as Sani, Aminu, and Nasiru. Two of them, she noted, were arrested in Jikamshi while the third was taken into custody in Kano.
The widow appealed to Katsina State Government and leaders across five local government areas to comply. She pleaded with them to secure the trio's freedom in exchange for their release.
But on Saturday, Nasiru Mu'azu, Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, announced startling news. Major General Rabe had died from diabetes and hypertension complications, he stated.
"The Katsina State Government, with a heavy heart and deep sense of loss, wishes to inform the general public of the tragic passing of Retired Major General Rabe Abubakar," the official statement read.
Security officials said rescue efforts for the widow are underway. They refused to disclose specific details or timelines, however.
Kachalla Muhammad, a notorious bandit leader, offered a different explanation for why Hajiya Amina wasn't freed. In an audio message, he claimed he suspended her release deliberately.
He blamed the heavy security presence in the region for his decision. The deployment of troops made him change course, Kachalla said.
"I had promised the General that I would release his wife, but the deployment of security personnel in the area made me change my mind," he stated in the recording.
Kachalla also vented anger about arrests linked to his organization. He warned that these detentions have made dialogue much harder to pursue.
He demanded authorities free three persons allegedly in government hands. He also called for the return of cattle seized during security sweeps in the Jikamshi area.
According to the bandit chief, meeting these demands could restart peace talks. It would also stop attacks across the region, he claimed.
Kachalla's statements suggest negotiation remains possible despite current tensions. Whether either side will compromise remains unclear at this time.
