Barely seven months after Brigadier General Musa Uba was killed following his abduction by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), another senior military officer and former Director of Defence Information, Major General Rabe Abubakar (retd.), died on Saturday, June 13, 2026, while being held by bandits.

The death of Abubakar, who served as defence spokesman between 2015 and 2017, has continued to generate reactions across the country, with many describing it as a painful loss and further evidence that insecurity in Nigeria has reached an alarming level.

Born on April 7, 1965, Abubakar hailed from Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State. Before his appointment as Defence spokesperson, he spent several years in military service, rising through the ranks and holding various command and administrative positions.

Among other roles, he served as Coordinator of the Joint Media Centre at the Joint Task Force Headquarters in the Niger Delta, Commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information (NASPRI) in Lagos, and Executive Director of Corporate Affairs at Nigerian Army Welfare Limited.

Abduction by bandits

On Saturday, May 30, 2026, the retired major general and his wife were kidnapped by suspected terrorists along the Matazu axis of Katsina State. They were travelling within the state when armed assailants intercepted their vehicle and whisked them away.

While the driver of the red Peugeot 504 car they were travelling in managed to escape despite sustaining a gunshot wound, the retired officer and his wife were taken by the attackers into a nearby forest.

Shortly before reports of his death surfaced, a video circulated on social media showing Abubakar in captivity. He appeared with what looked like an injury to his left leg, alongside his wife and other hostages.

Kidnappers’ demands

A week after the couple’s abduction, the kidnappers released a four-minute video on Saturday, June 6, 2026, outlining conditions for their release.

The captors demanded the release of three detained fighters and the return of livestock allegedly confiscated during security operations.

In the video, which circulated widely on social media, the general’s wife, Amina, speaking in Hausa, appealed to the Katsina State Government, traditional rulers, and community leaders across five local government areas to facilitate the release of the detained men, identified as Sani, Aminu, and Nasiru.

She said two of them were arrested in Jikamshi, while the third was apprehended in Kano State.

According to her, meeting these demands would pave the way for the couple’s freedom.

“Our appeal is for the authorities and community leaders to assist in resolving this matter so that we can regain our freedom,” she said.

In a brief statement of his own, General Abubakar called on stakeholders to pursue dialogue and peaceful engagement

“I appeal for efforts that will promote peace. They have indicated interest in dialogue and peaceful coexistence.”

Rabe dies in captivity; Katsina says ‘natural’ death

The death of the retired general was confirmed on Saturday by the Katsina State Government, which said he died of natural causes.

According to a statement issued by Nasir Muazu, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Abubakar died in captivity due to health complications linked to diabetes and hypertension.

The statement added that the state government, in collaboration with security agencies, made sustained efforts to secure his release, but those efforts did not produce the desired outcome before he died in captivity.

The Katsina State Government also sympathised with the family of the late military spokesperson and reiterated its commitment to tackling banditry across the state in partnership with security agencies.

Family rejects government’s account

Following the state’s claim that Abubakar died from health complications related to diabetes and hypertension, his family rejected the explanation, insisting that he had no such medical conditions.

Ishaka Rabe Abubakar, one of the late general’s sons, disputed claims that his father had a history of diabetes or high blood pressure.

Speaking with Deutsche Welle on Sunday, he said reports attributing his father’s death to diabetes were inaccurate. He added that some people believe the retired general may have died from a snake bite, citing a video allegedly released by his kidnappers.

“The truth is that it was not diabetes that caused this illness. In our view, it was most likely a snakebite because a snakebite could explain the marks and the condition seen on his leg,” he said.

Family questions recovery of Abubakar’s body

The family has also demanded answers from the Katsina State Government over how the former military officer’s body was recovered.

Speaking in a Hausa-language interview with DW Hausa, his son, Ishaka, said the family had no explanation for how his father’s remains were recovered and urged Nigerians to direct the question to the state government.

“Many people saw the announcement that the funeral prayer would be held at six o’clock. People then asked me, ‘How was the corpse brought back?’ I replied that I cannot answer that question. Rather, the government should be asked about it. Even I myself would like to know how the corpse was brought,” he said.

He also rejected claims that his mother, the wife of the late general, had regained her freedom, saying she remains in the custody of her captors.

‘We accepted it as God’s will’ — Son

Speaking on how the family reacted to the retired general’s death, Ishaka said they had accepted it as God’s will and believed he died a martyr.

“Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), we have faith in Allah. We believe that he died as a martyr (shahid). We are certain that, God willing, he will receive Allah’s mercy and reward forever,” he said.

He described his father as humble, devout and peace-loving, adding that he maintained cordial relationships with everyone around him.

“I can testify that my father was a good man, a believer and a religious person. I am proud of that. Everyone knows that my father never harmed anyone. Alhamdulillah, he lived peacefully with everybody. Whenever he came among people, no one would think of him as someone arrogant or hostile,” Ishaka stated.

Tinubu, Defence Headquarters mourn

Reacting to the incident, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said he was deeply saddened by the death of the retired Major-General.

A State House statement issued on Saturday quoted the President as saying he received the news with “shock and sadness,” calling it a tragic reminder of the security challenges facing parts of the country.

Similarly, the Defence Headquarters mourned the former Director of Defence Information, calling his death in captivity tragic. It said it had deliberately kept the abduction out of the public eye while deploying all available resources to secure his release, though the rescue effort ultimately failed.

The military also vowed to intensify operations against terrorists and bandits nationwide. (Nigerian Tribune)

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