Kidnappers of retired Maj. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, former Director of Defence Information, and his wife released a video on Saturday showing the couple in captivity and demanded livestock and the release of group members as conditions for their freedom.
The video, which surfaced online on Saturday, showed the former general and his wife standing in an unidentified bush location. Both appeared unharmed but spoke under duress.
Abubakar, who served as DDI from 2016 to 2017, was abducted along with his wife on Maraba Musawa - kafinsoli road in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State, near Zakin Baure village.
In four minutes the footage, the wife of the retired general was seen relaying the demand of the abductors which include unspecified numbers of cattle, sheep and goats. The gunman also called for the release of detained members of their group namely ;Sani, Aminu and Nasiru held by security agencies. No deadline was given in the video.
Security analysts said the demand for livestock is a tactic increasingly used by bandit groups operating in northwest and north-central Nigeria. The groups typically sell the animals to fund operations and ransom demands.
The Nigeria Police Force and Defence Headquarters have not confirmed receipt of the video or commented on the kidnappers’ demands.
Abubakar retired from the Nigerian Army in 2018 after 35 years of service. As DDI, he was the military’s chief spokesperson during operations against Boko Haram in the Northeast.
Additional report: Punch Newspaper
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