A Facebook page with over half a million followers, Spynigeria.NG, recently shared a post containing the photograph of a supposed dangerous boy, claiming he was the bandit responsible for the abduction of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar and his wife. However, Legit.ng found no evidence linking the boy in the viral picture to the abduction.
Background of the Abduction
General Abubakar, a retired major-general and former director of defence information, and his wife were abducted in late May while travelling through Katsina state, according to Premium Times. The kidnapping occurred amid widespread banditry in Nigeria, where heavily armed criminal gangs operate across several parts of the country, particularly the northern region.
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.
Recovery of Abubakar's Body
Following the retired military officer's death, conflicting accounts emerged over how his remains were recovered. 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.”
However, 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 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, 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
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, a reverse image search was conducted. 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.
However, Legit.ng found no credible evidence linking the boy to the abduction or establishing that he directly participated in the kidnapping. The claim linking him to the kidnapping is not supported by available evidence.
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.
