General Rabe Abubakar: Viral Katsina Kidnap Post Misleads Users
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering security matters and counterinsurgency in Nigeria and Africa.
Katsina, Katsina state - Amid insecurity in Nigeria, a Facebook page with over half a million followers, Spynigeria.NG, recently shared a post containing the photograph of a supposed dangerous boy.
The post suggested that the boy was the bandit responsible for the abduction of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar and his wife. Abubakar is a retired major-general and former director of defence information.
Source: Instagram
The claim circulated amid widespread public concern over the kidnapping of the now-late retired army officer in Katsina state.
The former Nigerian military officer's wife was also abducted in the attack by suspected bandits, a term commonly used in Nigeria to describe heavily armed criminal gangs operating across several parts of the country, particularly the northern region.
Recovery of Rabe Abubakar's body
Legit.ng reports that following the retired military officer's death, conflicting accounts emerged over how his remains were recovered, further deepening the controversy. Meanwhile, family members questioned the credibility of the official account of the circumstances surrounding his death in captivity.
A statement on Saturday, June 13, 2026, by Nasiru Mu’azu, the Katsina state commissioner for internal security and home affairs, said Abubakar died from complications of diabetes and hypertension.
The statement read:
“It is with profound sadness that we confirm the General’s death while in bandits’ captivity.
“Despite the relentless and concerted efforts of the State Government and various Security Agencies to secure his safe release, the situation ended in this tragedy.
“The deceased Retired General died a natural death from complications of diabetes and hypertension.
“His abduction and subsequent death are not only a loss to his family and Katsina State but a monumental loss to the entire country."
Following the government's announcement, one of the late officer’s sons, Isyaka Abubakar, said the family remained uncertain about how the body was recovered.
He said in an interview with Deutsche Welle (DW):
“When I announced the time for my father’s funeral prayer, many people began asking how the body was recovered. I told them I did not know and that they should direct such questions to the government."
Isyaka added:
“I myself want to know how the body was recovered.”
Viral claim on Abubakar draws reactions
The post linking a boy in a viral image to the abduction of General Abubakar, which later ended in his death, drew widespread reactions from social media users, many of whom appeared to accept the allegation as true.
For instance, a user identified as Tyokase Raphael commented:
“Small bandit boy carrying big fm 9ja soldier and wf?”
Another user, Dangana Musa Sauta, reflected how some commenters treated the claim as a factual account of events.
Sauta wrote:
“If he holds a gun and you don’t have anything in your hand, you must surrender."
Given the sensitivity of the claim amid Nigeria's current security challenges and the potential reputational harm such allegations could cause, Legit.ng investigated its accuracy.
Claim about General Abubakar verified
General Abubakar and his wife were abducted in late May while travelling through Katsina, according to Premium Times.
On June 6, a video showing Abubakar and his wife appealing to the Katsina government for the release of detained bandits and livestock surfaced online.
Further reports by Daily Trust linked a notorious bandit leader identified as Kachalla Muhammad to the incident. The publication reported that the terrorist had established communication with relatives of the victims.
In addition, an audio recording circulated online. In the recording, a speaker identified as Muhammadu Kachalla discussed the circumstances surrounding the abduction and negotiations involving detained associates and seized livestock.
However, despite extensive media coverage of the abduction, Legit.ng found no report from any security agency, government authority, or credible news organisation identifying the boy featured in the viral Facebook post as one of the perpetrators.
To verify the identity of the boy featured in the viral Facebook post, this reporter conducted a reverse image search. The search traced the image to social media discussions surrounding videos allegedly released by the abductors after the incident.
The findings showed that an Instagram user, @temilolasobola, shared videos purportedly showing the retired general and his wife appealing for help while in captivity. Alongside the clips, the user also posted the same image of the young boy, claiming he was among those who uploaded the hostage videos on TikTok.
Similarly, a verified X (formerly Twitter) account, @firstladyship, popularly known as Nefertiti, shared the same image and alleged that the individual was among those who uploaded the captivity video online. The post added that the group was linked to a notorious bandit leader identified as Kachalla Muhammadu, who is believed to operate in Katsina state and other parts of the north-west.
The reverse image search also linked the photograph to reports claiming the individual appeared in, or was associated with, a video circulated on social media following the abduction of the retired army officer and his wife.
However, Legit.ng found no credible evidence linking the boy to the abduction or establishing that he directly participated in the kidnapping.
No evidence boy kidnapped Abubakar
Legit.ng found no evidence that the boy pictured in the viral social media post was involved in the abduction of retired General Abubakar and his wife.
The claim linking him to the kidnapping is not supported by available evidence.
Source: Twitter
Rabe Abubakar's wife rescued
Earlier, troops of the Nigerian Army, supported by the Nigerian Air Force, rescued Mrs Amina Abubakar, the widow of the late General Abubakar.
The Defence Headquarters announced the rescue, explaining that the operation followed intensified search-and-rescue efforts by troops of Operation Fansan Yamma.
Source: Legit.ng
