Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticized the administration of President Bola Tinubu following the tragic death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar while held captive by bandits.
General Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information and Nigerian Army spokesperson, died from health complications related to diabetes and hypertension while in the custody of his abductors in Katsina State. He was kidnapped alongside his wife on May 30, 2026. While the Katsina State Government confirmed that the General’s corpse and his surviving wife have been recovered, the incident has sparked widespread national outrage.
In a statement issued by his media office on Sunday, Atiku described the retired General’s death as a damning indictment of the federal government’s primary duty to protect its citizens.
According to Atiku, the tragedy exposes a frightening reality; no Nigerian, regardless of their status, influence, or decades of service to the nation, is safe under the current administration.
”The chilling reality of General Abubakar’s death is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of even our most experienced military leaders in the face of rampant banditry,” Atiku stated. “When those who have spent their lives defending the sovereignty of this nation can be hunted like prey and left to die in the custody of non-state actors, it shows the level of insecurity confronting ordinary Nigerians daily.”
Atiku further argued that insecurity under the Tinubu administration has evolved from isolated incidents into a “cruel national routine.” He highlighted that on the very same day news of the General’s death broke, gunmen launched a fresh assault on the Kautikari community in the Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State.
The former Vice President demanded accountability and a comprehensive review of the nation’s security strategy, urging the government to move past rhetoric.
”Nigerians are tired of powerful language, sterile statements, and recycled assurances. Press releases do not defeat bandits,” Atiku added. “A government that cannot secure its citizens or its strategic highways has failed the most elementary test of leadership.”
The Defence Headquarters has also announced that military operations have been intensified to hunt down the criminal networks responsible for the abduction.
