A retired Nigerian major general who was abducted two weeks ago in Katsina State has died while in the custody of his captors.
Major General Rabe Abubakar (rtd) was kidnapped alongside his wife near the Matazu area of Katsina while travelling to attend a wedding. The couple appeared in a video circulated on social media, in which they relayed the abductors’ demands for the release of three detained members – identified as Sani, Aminu and Nasiru – as well as seized livestock.
In the four-minute clip, the general’s wife appealed to the Katsina State Government and leaders of five local government areas to meet the conditions to secure their release. Major General Abubakar, who spoke briefly, called for efforts to achieve peace, stating that the kidnappers had expressed interest in dialogue.
However, in a statement on Saturday, the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasiru Mu’azu, confirmed that the retired officer had died of complications arising from diabetes and hypertension.
“The Katsina State Government, with a heavy heart and deep sense of loss, wishes to inform the general public of the tragic passing of Retired Major General Rabe Abubakar,” 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.
“His abduction and subsequent death are not only a loss to his family and Katsina State but a monumental loss to the entire country.”
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda described the incident as a “dark moment” and called for a collective, intensified effort against the criminal elements threatening peace in the region.
It remains unclear whether the general’s wife has been released or is still being held.
