Nigeria: Major General Rabe Abubakar killed by his captors two weeks after his abduction.

Retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, former Director of Defense Information and spokesperson for the Nigerian army, died in captivity, about two weeks after being abducted by armed men in Katsina State, in northwestern Nigeria, the state government announced on Saturday, June 13. His death has caused widespread emotion and renewed criticism of insecurity in the country.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Internal Security, Nasiru Mu’azu, the Katsina government indicated that the officer had died from complications related to diabetes and hypertension during his detention, despite efforts by the authorities and security services to secure his release. Several political leaders and organizations referred to his disappearance as murder attributable to his captors, although the exact circumstances of his death have not been made public independently.

Sixty-one years old and originally from Katsina, Rabe Abubakar was kidnapped on May 30 along with his wife, Amina, while the couple was on their way to a wedding. Their vehicle was ambushed by armed men in the Matazu area, with their driver managing to escape despite gunshot wounds. On June 6, the kidnappers released a video of about four minutes showing the couple calling on the authorities to meet their demands.

The armed men demanded the release of three of their members in detention and the return of cattle they claimed had been seized during security operations. According to family sources quoted by the Nigerian press, the officer’s wife has been released and the body returned to the family, in preparation for funerals in Katsina according to Muslim rites.

Ongoing Insecurity in the Northwest

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed his sadness and outrage, reaffirming, through his advisor Bayo Onanuga, a stance of firmness against terrorism and kidnappings, warning that the state would not yield to blackmail. The governor of Katsina, Dikko Umaru Radda, described the event as “a dark moment,” calling for a strengthened collective response against criminal groups.

The death of this former senior officer has provoked anger from former generals and youth organizations, who see it as evidence of deteriorating security. Northwestern Nigeria has been plagued for several years by the actions of armed groups, locally referred to as bandits, who specialize in kidnappings for ransom and attacks on villages, causing thousands of deaths and displacements. The Katsina authorities have assured that security operations will be intensified to dismantle these networks and that those responsible for the kidnapping will be sought.