Hajiya Amina Abubakar, the widow of late Major General Abubakar Rabe, has reportedly regained her freedom after spending more than two weeks in captivity.
She was kidnapped alongside her husband on May 30, 2026, when their vehicle was ambushed along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State while they were travelling to attend a wedding ceremony.
A week after their abduction, the couple appeared in a video released by their captors, who outlined conditions for their release.
In the four-minute, two-second video that circulated on social media, the widow relayed the abductors’ demand for the release of three individuals identified as Sani, Aminu, and Nasiru.
According to her, two of the individuals were arrested in Jikamshi, while the third was apprehended in Kano.
She also appealed to the Katsina State Government and leaders across five local government areas to intervene and meet the demands of the kidnappers in order to secure their freedom.
However, hopes of a joint release were dashed after news emerged on Saturday that the retired military officer had died while in captivity, while his wife remained in the custody of the abductors.
Reports indicate that on Monday, security forces launched an operation against the kidnappers and engaged them in a gun battle, leading to the release of the widow.
As of the time of filing this report, details surrounding her rescue and the circumstances of her release remained unclear.
Last week, a notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Muhammad, claimed he had initially intended to release the widow but later changed his mind because he did not want security agencies to take credit for her freedom.
In an audio message, the bandit kingpin explained that the heavy deployment of security personnel in the area forced him to suspend the planned release.
The bandit leader stated that he had earlier indicated a willingness to free the retired general’s wife but reversed the decision due to ongoing security operations.
“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.”
Kachalla also expressed displeasure over the arrest of individuals he claimed were associated with his group, warning that the arrests had further complicated any prospects for dialogue.
The development comes days after the death of the retired general in captivity, a tragedy that sparked widespread grief and renewed concerns over the worsening security situation in parts of northern Nigeria.
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