The leader of the bandit group holding retired Major General Rabe and his wife, Muhammadu Kachalla, has explained why he called off his plan to release the former military officer's wife.
In an audio clip that was circulated, containing a conversation between the Chairman of Matazu Local Government Area and Kachalla Muhammadu Fulani, the bandit leader was heard saying that initially he agreed to release the General's wife, but later changed his mind due to the large number of security personnel deployed to the Matazu area.
According to him, if he had released the woman under such circumstances, the security forces would claim that they were the ones who rescued her.
"I gave the General my word that I would release his wife, but the number of security personnel stationed in the area made me call it off. If I had released her, they would have taken her to the Matazu police station and claimed they were the ones who saved her," he said.
The terrorist also expressed anger over the arrest of some people he claimed were linked to his group, stating that if his parents were among those arrested, he would have killed General Rabe by now.
"Even if 1,000 soldiers were deployed, they wouldn't be able to locate where the General is. If my mother or father were among those arrested, by Allah, I would have killed the General today, to show the government that it cannot intimidate us," he said.
The terrorist added that if any peace negotiation is to be genuine, the security personnel deployed to the area should be withdrawn.
He also reiterated his demand for the release of three individuals held by the government and the return of his cattle, which he said were seized during security operations in the Jikamshi area.
He further promised to vacate the area and cease attacks if these demands are met.
Furthermore, he claimed that he had honoured previous peace agreements but accused government officials of breaking their promises.
Katsina Government Expresses Confidence in Rescuing General Rabe Abubakar
On its part, the Katsina State Government expressed confidence that ongoing security operations will lead to the rescue of General Rabe and his wife.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the state's Commissioner for Information and Culture, Dr. Bala Salisu Zango, it said the collaboration between security agencies and intelligence units has reached an advanced stage.
The statement said immediately after the incident, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda directed security agencies to prioritise efforts to ensure the rescue of the couple and other people held captive.
The government said preliminary investigations indicate that the captors' target was General Rabe and his wife, alleging that they had tracked their movements from Kaduna before launching the attack.
It said the manner in which the attack was executed suggests the hand of an organised group, and this points to a troubling new tactic being used by armed groups in the North-West region.
"The execution of this attack shows it was a specially planned operation targeting these individuals. This has changed our perspective on the matter and our response measures. The government is working day and night, using technology and intelligence to locate the captors," the statement said.
The statement added that the government's primary goal is to ensure the safe return of General Rabe, his wife, and others in similar situations.
It reiterated its resolve to ensure that those responsible for the incident are apprehended and prosecuted, while urging the families of the kidnapped and the general public to remain calm and continue hoping for the best as efforts to secure their release continue.
Source: Aminiya