Gunmen Abduct Retired Nigerian General and Wife in Katsina as 16 Were Killed a Day Earlier
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 31
Gunmen Abduct Retired Nigerian General and Wife in Katsina as 16 Were Killed a Day Earlier
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 31
Maj Gen Rabe Abubakar, Nigeria’s former military spokesman, and his wife were seized on Saturday after gunmen attacked their car in Katsina state and forced them into a nearby forest.
The army said rescue efforts are under way but no group has claimed responsibility and the kidnappers have not yet contacted the family; local reports said Abubakar was traveling to a wedding and his driver escaped despite gunshot wounds.
Katsina remains a hotspot for north-west Nigeria’s bandit violence, where gangs routinely kidnap for ransom, rustle cattle and raid rural communities despite tougher government measures to deter ransom payments.
The abduction came a day after armed men reportedly killed at least 16 people in Kiliya village during Eid al-Adha celebrations, underscoring persistent insecurity across Katsina and neighboring states including Zamfara and Sokoto.
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