By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The abductors of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, former Director of Defence Information, and his wife released a video on Saturday showing the couple in captivity.

The couple were abducted along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli road in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State, near Zakin Baure village.

In the four-minute video circulated on social media, the wife of the retired general was seen conveying the abductors’ demands, Daily Trust reports.

The demands included the release of three of their members identified as Sani, Aminu and Nasiru, as well as the return of livestock allegedly seized from them.

According to her account, two of the detained individuals were arrested in Jikamshi while the third was arrested in Kano.

She also appealed to the Katsina State Government and leaders of five local government areas to facilitate compliance with the demands to secure their release.

The retired general, who spoke briefly in the video, called for efforts to ensure peace, adding that the abductors had expressed interest in dialogue and peaceful coexistence.

Daily Trust also reports that notorious bandit leader Kachallah Muhammad, who operates in parts of Katsina State, had reportedly established communication with the family of the retired general.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Katsina State Government nor security agencies had issued an official statement on the video.

The Kano State chapter of the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) has commended the Director-General, Media and Publicity to State Governor, Alhaji Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, for facilitating the repair of the association’s bus.

The commendation was made by the Chairman of RATTAWU Kano State Council, Comrade Babangida Mamuda Biyamusu, in a statement issued to pressmen in Kano.

According to the chairman, the union’s bus had been grounded for some time due to mechanical faults, creating challenges for members in carrying out official assignments and union activities.
He described the intervention by Alhaji Sunusi Bature as timely and highly commendable, noting that it has restored the vehicle to operational condition and eased transportation challenges faced by the association.

“On behalf of the entire RATTAWU family in Kano State, we sincerely appreciate this magnanimous gesture. The repair of the bus will go a long way in enhancing our operational efficiency and supporting our activities,” Comrade Biyamusu stated.

The chairman assured that members of the union would continue to play their professional role in sensitising and informing the public about government policies, programmes, and developmental initiatives across the state.

Comrade Biyamusu also expressed gratitude to the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, for what he described as the administration’s commitment to the development of the state through its Kano First agenda.
He further described Governor Yusuf as a people-oriented and media-friendly leader whose administration has continued to implement policies and programmes aimed at improving the welfare of the people and accelerating the state’s development.

The RATTAWU chairman reaffirmed the union’s commitment to promoting professionalism in the media industry and supporting initiatives that contribute to the progress and development of Kano State.

NNPC Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of NNPC Ltd., has commissioned and handed over a fully installed a state-of-the-art, 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) System to the National Orthopaedic Hospital (NOH), Dala, Kano State.

The intervention, which is in furtherance of NNPC Ltd’s commitment to improving healthcare access and strengthening medical infrastructure across Nigeria, is expected to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of orthopaedic, neurological, trauma and musculoskeletal and gynaecological conditions. Before the intervention, patients needing advanced MRI diagnostic services often faced challenges of travelling long distances, longer waiting time and delay of care due to high cost and availability.

Speaking at the ceremony held in the Hospital’s premises in Kano on Thursday, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, represented by the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, said the donation is part of a wider corporate goal and focus to contribute strategically to national healthcare development. “At NNPC Limited, we are intentional about ensuring that our social investments are impactful, sustainable, and beneficial to the communities we serve.

Through the NNPC Foundation, we would continue to implement interventions that create measurable social value across Nigeria,” he said. He described the intervention as timely and needed where it serves as an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system due to challenges of infrastructure deficits, equipment limitation, and increasing demand for specialized services.

Also speaking the Executive Vice President Business Services, NNPC Ltd, Mrs Sophia Mbakwe, represented by the Executive Director Program Management at the NNPC Foundation; Mrs Rose Okonkwo said NNPC Limited goes beyond barrels of crude production to impact lives positively, reaffirming the commitment of the company to improving the well-being of Nigerians as well as strengthening key national institutions.

“Today’s event is a testament to our steadfast commitment to deliver measurable impacts and scalable sustainable interventions to communities across Nigeria, inclusively targeting under-served and vulnerable members of the society. By this intervention, NNPC Limited aims to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve the quality of life of the people, Kano State, the North-West geopolitical zone and, by extension, all Nigerians who depend on the National Orthopedic Hospital, Dala for specialized medical care,” she stated.

In his remarks, Kano State Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf who was represented by the Commissioner for Health; Abubakar Labaran Yusuf commended NNPC Foundation for the donation, which he described as a major milestone in improving healthcare services in the region through early and accurate diagnosis and care.

The Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr Isa Nurudeen expressed appreciation to NNPC Ltd. for the intervention, noting that the donation will have a transformative impact on the hospital’s operations and services. The event was attended by representatives of NNPC Ltd., management and staff of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, government officials, healthcare professionals, community leaders, and other stakeholders.