“I was ready to release her”: Bandit kingpin blames soldiers for keeping Generals wife in chains

Kachalla Muhammad didn’t sound like a monster on the tape. He sounded like a man whose deal fell through.

In an audio message now circulating on WhatsApp, the suspected bandit kingpin claimed he almost set General Abubakar Rabe’s wife free. Almost.

“I had promised the General that I would release his wife,” his voice said, calm, deliberate. “But the deployment of security personnel in the area made me change my mind.”

According to Kachalla, he addressed the Chairman of Matazu LGA directly. The plan was set. Then security forces moved in. And just like that, the woman stayed in captivity.

Because in his logic, if she walked free now, the army would claim victory. Not him.

But Kachalla wasn’t done. Anger crept into the recording when he mentioned arrests. “They arrested people linked to my group. That complicated dialogue,” he said.

So now there’s a price list:

1. Release 3 of his men from government custody
2. Return cattle seized in Jikamshi
Do that, and “peace and an end to attacks” can follow.

Meanwhile, General Rabe and his wife remain in the bush. The retired officer, a high-value target, was abducted alongside his wife in what Katsina officials now call a “carefully planned, specifically targeted” operation.

Intelligence suggests their movements were tracked before the attack.

The state government says it’s not negotiating.

Governor Dikko Radda has ordered security agencies to “prioritise rescue, not ransom.”

Commissioner Bala Salisu Zango insists operations are advancing: “Security agencies are working around the clock, deploying intelligence and technology.”

So Kachalla waits. The General waits. And the wife waits. All because one man decided soldiers showing up meant the deal was off.