Son of the late Major General Rabe Abubakar (rtd), Isyaka, has rejected claims attributed to the Katsina State Government that his father died from complications of diabetes and hypertension, insisting the retired General had no history of either condition.
Following the suspected murder of the General in captivity by bandits, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called for a comprehensive probe of defence expenditure and security votes across the country.
Presidential candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, have said the death of Abubakar in the custody of bandits and the renewed terrorist attack on communities in Chibok, Borno State, demonstrate that Nigeria is steadily losing hard-won gains in the fight against insecurity.
In an interview with Deutsche Welle yesterday, the bereaved son described reports attributing his father’s death to diabetes as inaccurate.
He noted that some people, citing the last video released by the kidnappers, believe the General may have died from a snake bite.
Stressing that only God knows the actual cause of his father’s death, he added: ‘I truly don’t believe it was diabetes. In our view, it was a heart attack. If you look at it, his legs were restrained. Moreover, some people said that he was walking, and he didn’t die, so God knows’.
While praying for the repose of his father’s soul, Isyaka described him as a deeply religious, peace-loving man who lived a simple life.
He added that the late general died a hero.
CISLAC also urged the Federal Government to declare a national emergency on insecurity, warning that the worsening wave of kidnappings, banditry and violent attacks exposed deep flaws in Nigeria’s security architecture.
Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, in a statement yesterday, described the death of the retired military officer as a tragic reflection of the country’s deteriorating security situation.
According to Rafsanjani, the incident demonstrates that insecurity has reached alarming levels, making even former senior military commanders vulnerable to criminal groups.
‘The death of a retired Major General in captivity is not only a personal tragedy but a national one that reflects the alarming state of insecurity in the country. If a decorated military officer, who dedicated his life to defending Nigeria, can fall victim to bandits, then ordinary Nigerians face even greater risk’, he said.
Rafsanjani expressed concern that insecurity persisted despite the Federal Government’s allocation of N5.41 trillion to defence and security in the 2026 budget, described as the largest security allocation in the country’s history.
In a statement yesterday by his media office, Atiku described the death of the former Director of Defence Information (DDI) as a tragic indictment of the Federal Government’s inability to protect citizens, warning that no Nigerian is safe under the present security situation.
Abubakar was abducted alongside his wife on 30 May 2026, in Katsina State. His wife is reportedly still being held by the kidnappers.
Reacting to the development, Atiku described the death of a senior retired military officer at the hands of criminals as both heartbreaking and unacceptable.
According to the former Vice President, the incident exposes Nigerians’ growing vulnerability and reflects the failure of the country’s security architecture.
In a statement issued via his X handle, Obi said he received the news of the former military officer’s death with ‘profound shock and sadness’, describing it as a national tragedy that reflects the deteriorating state of security in the country.
He noted that the late Abubakar devoted his life to serving the nation with honour, making his death in such circumstances particularly painful.
The NDC flagbearer also raised the alarm over renewed violent incidents in parts of the country, including reported bandit attacks in Sokoto State, where traders were allegedly abducted along market routes, and deadly assaults in Kwara State that left many communities in distress.
