When the news filtered in that Major General Rabe Abubakar had been abducted alongside his wife, it jolted me in a manner that I still do not fully understand. Seeing him in a video in such a degraded condition in the kidnappers’ den pierced my heart. That was an Army General being treated in that manner.
As if that was not enough, the announcement of his death came from the blues. I was shocked. His death in kidnappers’ captivity is a tragedy that should trouble every Nigerian. If a man who once rose to the highest ranks of the military could fall victim to criminal elements and die while in their custody, what hope is there for ordinary citizens?
Yet, beyond the pain of the loss itself, the statement issued by the Katsina State Government announcing the retired officer’s death has generated almost as many questions as it sought to answer. Rather than providing closure, the official communication appears to have left significant gaps that deserve clarification. In matters as sensitive as this, transparency is not merely desirable; it is necessary.
The government, in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasiru Mu’Azu, confirmed that the retired general died in bandits’ captivity despite its efforts and those of security agencies to secure his safe release. It went on to sympathise with the family of the deceased and, as expected, promised to work with the Federal Government and security agencies to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
