There was an atmosphere of grief and sorrow in Katsina State on Saturday as retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, was laid to rest following his death in the captivity of bandits.
The late senior military officer was buried at the Gidan Dawa Cemetery, opposite his residence in Katsina metropolis, after funeral prayers attended by family members, senior military officers, government officials, traditional rulers, political associates and sympathisers who gathered to pay their final respects.
Abubakar died while being held by his abductors after he and his wife were kidnapped on May 30 along the Marabar Musawa-Kafinsoli Road in Katsina State.
According to the state government, the retired general succumbed to complications arising from diabetes and hypertension despite efforts to secure his release. His wife, who was abducted alongside him, remains in captivity.
His death has triggered widespread outrage and grief across the country, with many Nigerians expressing fears over the worsening insecurity in the nation.
Several citizens took to social media and other platforms to lament the tragedy, describing it as a painful reminder that no one is immune from the menace of banditry.
National Coordinator of the Coalition of Northern Groups, Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, faulted suggestions that the former Army spokesman died a natural death, insisting that his demise was a direct consequence of the country’s security failures.
“There is nothing natural about dying in the hands of bandits,” he said, warning that the incident had further weakened public confidence in the ability of the authorities to protect lives and property.
Former Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists in Katsina State, Hajiya Hannatu Mohammed Umar, described the development as heartbreaking and called for urgent efforts to rescue the deceased’s wife.
Also reacting, the current Chairperson of NAWOJ in the state, Fatima Sanda Kaita, said the tragedy underscored the vulnerability of ordinary Nigerians and called for a more coordinated response to insecurity.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Senate and several prominent Nigerians have condoled with the family of the deceased and pledged continued support for efforts aimed at restoring peace and security across the country.
The death of the retired Major General has renewed calls for decisive action against banditry and kidnapping, with many Nigerians insisting that the country must urgently strengthen its security architecture to prevent similar tragedies.
For many mourners who thronged his residence and the cemetery, the burial of the former Army spokesman marked not only the end of a distinguished military career, but also a tragic symbol of the insecurity confronting the nation.
