Former Spokesperson of the Defence Headquarters, Major General Rabe Abubakar (retd), who was abducted by bandits on Saturday, May 30, 2026 is believed to in the den of one of the most notorious bandit leaders in the Matazu area of Katsina State known as Kachalla Muhammadu.
Information pieced together indicated that the attack on the retired Army General was carried out by a bandit group known as KB at a location near Zakin Baure village, close to Matazu town following which the bandits abducted General Abubakar and his wife who were on their way to attend a wedding in Katsina.
It was further gathered that the bandits did not initially know who General Abubakar was at the time of the attack as their primary aim was to capture any senior government official or a wealthy individual that would assist in huge ransom demand.
A source said that shortly after the KB group abducted him, he was later handed over to Kachalla Muhammadu, who is now suspected to be keeping the victims in his hideout.
A check on the background of Kachalla Muhammadu indicated that he is a young man under the age of 30 from Matazu Local Government Area, specifically from Sayaya district and hails from a settlement known as Kogon Maidawa, where his parents and other relatives still reside.
It was further gathered that in the past, Muhammadu was among those who accepted a peace agreement with the Katsina State government.
Muhammadu in an audio recording that trended on social media, said that since he embraced peace, he had tried to protect communities in the local government areas of Matazu, Musawa, Kankia, and Charanchi from bandit attacks.
However, Muhammadu in the same audio recording, said he became dissatisfied with the peace agreement after soldiers from Kano State raided Jikamshi market, arrested some of his men and seized his cattle.
He further alleged that neither his men nor his livestock were returned despite his efforts.
A source also said that it was after this incident that Muhammadu resumed launching severe attacks in the area and he is particularly accused of attacking Jikamshi town which resulted in the loss of many lives.
It was also gathered that negotiations are already ongoing with Kachalla Muhammadu for the safe and immediate release of General Rabe Abubakar and his wife.
