He was not shot. He was not executed. Retired Major General Rabe Abubakar died because he could not access his medication while being held against his will. And that is a story about more than kidnapping.
The Katsina State Government confirmed on June 13 that the retired senior military officer died from complications of diabetes and hypertension while in bandit captivity. He had been abducted alongside his wife on May 30 while travelling along the Marabar Musawa-Kafinsoli road in Matazu Local Government Area. Despite sustained efforts by the state government and security agencies to secure his release, he died before he could be brought home.
A Man Nigeria Knew
Major General Rabe Abubakar was not an anonymous victim. He served as Director of Defence Information under former President Muhammadu Buhari, making him the chief public voice of the Nigerian Armed Forces during some of the country’s most turbulent security years. He had dedicated nearly three decades to the military.
His death in captivity is, consequently, more than a personal tragedy. It is a national one. Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina described the moment as a “dark day” for the state and called for intensified efforts against criminal groups. The governor extended condolences to the family and pledged that those responsible would be pursued.
The Health Crisis That Captivity Exposed
Diabetes and hypertension are among the most common non-communicable diseases in northern Nigeria. They are manageable conditions — provided a patient has access to medication, monitoring, and basic healthcare. In captivity, with no access to any of these, they become killers.
The healthcare infrastructure in many northern Nigerian states remains underdeveloped. Rural communities often lack functional health facilities, trained personnel, and consistent drug supply chains. As a result, even Nigerians who are not in captivity frequently struggle to manage these conditions. General Rabe’s death is an extreme version of a crisis that plays out quietly across the region every day.
The Call for Action
On June 6, a video surfaced showing General Rabe and his wife appealing to the Katsina government for the release of detained bandits and livestock, seemingly under duress. The image of a respected military figure reduced to pleading on camera disturbed Nigerians deeply.
His death has intensified calls for a more aggressive and comprehensive security response in the northwest. It has also renewed the conversation about healthcare access in vulnerable communities. Nigeria must be a country where a manageable illness does not become a death sentence. For Rabe Abubakar, it was. That must not be allowed to happen again.
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