SECURITY FILES: How Troops Tracked Bandits And Rescued Former Defence Spokesman’s Wife After Weeks In Captivity

Secrets Reporters

Bandits shoot captive as troops close in on hideout

Weeks after her abduction sent shockwaves through security circles, Mrs Amina Abubakar, wife of the late Major General Rabe Abubakar, former Director of Defence Information, has regained her freedom following a military operation targeting bandit networks in Katsina State.

Her rescue came not through negotiations or a ransom deal, but amid an aggressive search-and-rescue campaign launched by troops of Operation FASAN YAMMA, backed by air support from the Nigerian Air Force.

Military authorities said the operation formed part of a broader offensive aimed at dismantling criminal strongholds and disrupting the activities of armed groups terrorising communities across the North-West.

According to military sources, intelligence gathered during ongoing operations led troops to Tunga Village, where bandits believed to be holding Mrs Abubakar captive were traced.

What followed was a rapid military advance that reportedly caught the criminals under intense pressure.

As troops closed in on their location, the bandits attempted to flee.

In the confusion that followed, Mrs Abubakar was shot by her captors before they abandoned her and escaped from the area.

Security sources said the criminals fled as advancing troops tightened their grip on the location, leaving behind the injured victim.

She was immediately evacuated from the scene and transferred to a military medical facility, where doctors commenced emergency treatment.

Officials familiar with her condition said she is responding positively and remains under close medical supervision.

The rescue marks a significant breakthrough in efforts to locate victims abducted by criminal gangs operating in parts of Katsina and neighbouring states.

It also highlights the increasingly aggressive posture being adopted under Operation FASAN YAMMA as security forces intensify pressure on bandit enclaves across the region.

While Mrs Abubakar’s rescue offers relief to her family and associates, military authorities insist the operation is far from over.

Troops have continued pursuit operations aimed at tracking down the fleeing bandits and dismantling the network responsible for the abduction.

For security agencies, the message appears clear: the rescue of one victim is only one chapter in a larger battle against armed groups that continue to threaten lives and livelihoods across Nigeria’s North-West.

The question now is whether sustained military pressure can permanently weaken the criminal networks that have turned kidnapping into a thriving enterprise in the region.