The Nigerian Army, supported by the Nigerian Air Force has rescued Mrs Amina Abubakar, wife of the late Major General Rabe Abubakar and former Director Defence Information, weeks after she was abducted by bandits alongside her husband.
The rescue operation was announced on Monday by the Director Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, who confirmed that Mrs Abubakar had been rescued alive but wounded.
Major General Rabe Abubakar had served as Director of Defence Information, the voice of Nigerian Armed Forces, before his retirement and death. His abduction, together with that of her wife, had drawn widespread concern across military circles and the general public.
Troops of Operation FASAN YAMMA, the military’s ongoing counter-banditry offensive in the Northwest, reportedly located Mrs. Abubakar at Tunga Village following sustained pressure on the criminal elements holding her. As troops close in, the bandits shot Mrs. Abubakar before fleeing the scene, apparently unable to withstand the advance of the military force bearing down on them.
She was immediately evacuated and she is currently receiving treatment at a military hospital. The Armed Forces said she is responding to treatment, and expressed commitment to supporting her family through this difficult period.
The rescue, however, comes with the weight of tragedy. Major General Rape Abubakar did not survive the abduction, making Mrs. Abubakar’s recovery, both a moment of relief and a reminder of the human cost of the banditry crisis that has ravaged communities across Katsina and other northwestern states.
Military authorities said troops would continue operations to track down and neutralise those responsible for the abduction, as part of broader efforts to rid affected communities of armed criminal elements across the region.
