{"id":25718,"date":"2026-06-13T18:40:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T18:40:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/psmnigeria.org\/?p=25718"},"modified":"2026-06-13T18:51:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T18:51:35","slug":"a-nation-mourns-retired-major-general-rabe-abubakar-dies-in-bandits-captivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/psmnigeria.org\/?p=25718","title":{"rendered":"A Nation Mourns: Retired Major General Rabe Abubakar Dies in Bandits\u2019 Captivity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br>By  Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-In-Chief,  People&#8217;s Security Monitor <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nigeria has been thrown into mourning following the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, who died while being held captive by bandits in Katsina State. The tragic development was confirmed by the Katsina State Government on Saturday, bringing a painful end to weeks of anxiety over the fate of the respected military officer.<br>Major General Abubakar was abducted alongside his wife by armed criminals while travelling through Katsina State late last month. The incident sparked widespread concern across the country, particularly within military circles where the retired officer was widely admired for his service and professionalism.<br>Announcing the unfortunate news, the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasiru Mu\u2019azu, disclosed that the retired general died while in captivity. According to the state government, he suffered complications arising from diabetes and hypertension during the period of his abduction.<br>The government stated that despite sustained and coordinated efforts by security agencies and state authorities to secure his freedom, all attempts proved unsuccessful. Officials described the outcome as a devastating tragedy and a painful loss for the nation.<br>Before his retirement, Major General Abubakar served as Director of Defence Information, where he played a prominent role in communicating military operations and national security matters to the public. His years of service earned him respect among military personnel, government officials and citizens alike.<br>His death has once again highlighted the growing security concerns confronting parts of the country, particularly the menace of kidnapping and banditry. Many Nigerians have expressed shock that a retired senior military officer could become a victim of such criminal activities despite ongoing efforts to combat insecurity.<br>Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State extended condolences to the family of the deceased, describing the late general as a patriotic Nigerian who dedicated a significant part of his life to the service of the nation. The governor also sympathised with friends, associates and members of the armed forces over the painful loss.<br>The state government reaffirmed its commitment to fighting banditry and other forms of criminality, assuring citizens that those responsible for the abduction and death of the retired officer would be pursued and brought to justice. Authorities further pledged continued collaboration with federal security agencies to restore peace across the state.<br>As news of his passing spread, tributes began pouring in from across the country. Security experts, retired military officers and ordinary citizens remembered Major General Abubakar as a disciplined officer whose contributions to national security would not be forgotten.<br>The death of Major General Rabe Abubakar in captivity stands as a sobering reminder of the security challenges facing Nigeria. For many Nigerians, the loss is not only that of a distinguished soldier but also a painful symbol of the urgent need to end the scourge of banditry and kidnapping across the nation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-In-Chief, People&#8217;s Security Monitor Nigeria has been thrown into mourning following the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, who died&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":25729,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pages"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Nation Mourns: Retired Major General Rabe Abubakar Dies in Bandits\u2019 Captivity -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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