Retired general dies in bandit captivity, wife’s fate remains unknown

A retired major general who once served as Defence Headquarters spokesman has died in bandits’ captivity, a case that has laid bare how deeply insecurity has penetrated parts of north-west Nigeria. Rabe Abubakar and his wife were abducted while travelling through Katsina State, and his wife’s fate has still not been confirmed.

The Katsina State Government said Abubakar died after suffering complications of diabetes and hypertension while in captivity. Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs Nasiru Mu’azu described his death as a tragic loss to his family, Katsina State and the country. Governor Dikko Umaru Radda called the killing a “dark moment” and said the state would work with federal authorities and security agencies to bring those responsible to justice.

Local reports said the couple were seized on May 30, 2026, near the Matazu area of Katsina State while on their way to a wedding. A video later surfaced on June 6 showing Abubakar and his wife in captivity, pleading for the release of detained bandit associates and seized livestock. In that video, the abductors reportedly demanded the release of three detained associates identified as Sani, Aminu and Nasiru, as well as the return of livestock they said had been taken from them.

Abubakar’s death has intensified concern over the persistence of kidnapping and banditry across Katsina State and the wider north-west. The fact that a retired general, a senior figure with ties to the country’s defence establishment, could be held in captivity and die there has deepened public doubt about the state’s capacity to protect ordinary people who have far fewer resources, fewer connections and even less visibility. His wife remains in captivity, and no confirmed information has emerged on her condition.

The case fits a pattern that has become grimly familiar in parts of Nigeria, where armed groups use abduction, leverage and livestock theft to sustain a ransom economy and pressure the state. For families traveling for weddings, business or medical care, the road has become another site of danger, and each new abduction further erodes confidence that public authorities can impose order and restore safety.