KATSINA, 16th June 2026 – A source close to the rescue operation has recounted how Hajiya Amina, wife of General Rabe, survived a gunshot wound and was saved by soldiers after bandits holding her hostage fled in disarray.
According to the source, the bandits became “extremely jittery and agitated” shortly after the death of her husband. They quickly brought motorcycles and made emergency preparations to flee. Hajiya Amina was mounted on one motorcycle while the bandits moved in a convoy, leaving other captives behind.
The source said the abductors appeared more interested in her than in the other victims, as no effort was made to evacuate them. Their priority, he noted, seemed to be moving her out of the location where they had been holding the couple.
While speeding through the bush to evade troops, the bandits began hearing gunfire in the distance. The sound disoriented them and broke their formation, forcing them to scatter in different directions instead of riding together.
It was at that point that the man riding with Hajiya Amina stopped midway. Frustrated, he forced her off the motorcycle and shot her in the thigh before fleeing. The bullet pierced the flesh between her hip and knee but did not break the bone.
The General’s wife bled profusely and could not stand or walk. In that state, a man from a nearby hamlet approached her and asked what had happened. She narrated her ordeal while panting and sweating from pain and fear.
The man then asked, “Or are you the wife of General Rabe?” She answered in the affirmative. While he tried to assist her, both heard the sound of gunfire again, this time from approaching military operatives combing the area.
The good Samaritan fled for his life. Minutes later, soldiers arrived and found Hajiya Amina lying in a pool of blood. The scene quickly turned celebratory when they realized she was the wife of General Rabe.
The soldiers had only rifles, so they asked the man who first discovered her to return and bring a plank. They used it to convey her to their vehicle and then to a hospital in a neighboring town for first aid before moving her to the Federal Medical Centre in Katsina.
Medical personnel later confirmed the gunshot wound was not life-threatening. Though the bleeding was heavy, the bullet did not fracture any bone in her thigh.
The dramatic rescue underscores the risks faced by victims and civilians caught in banditry-affected areas, as well as the split-second decisions that can mean the difference between life and death.
Authorities have not released further details on the bandits involved or whether any arrests have been made. Military officials continue operations in the area to secure release of other captives and restore safety to communities.
Credit: Account based on source narration to Daily Trust.
About The Author
