The remains of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar have been released by his captors, who also freed his wife after the military officer died while in custody, family sources confirmed on Saturday.
The retired General and his wife were abducted on May 30, 2026, while traveling to Katsina State for a wedding . In a harrowing turn of events, the kidnappers opted to release the General’s body alongside his wife following his death in their den .
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed Abubakar’s death in a statement signed by Major General Samaila Uba.
The military noted that it had refrained from making public comments on the abduction to avoid jeopardizing ongoing rescue efforts .
“In deference to ongoing rescue efforts by security agencies, the Armed Forces withheld public comment while every operational resource was deployed in the hope of securing his safe return,” the DHQ statement read.
The military paid tribute to the late officer, describing the loss as “tragic” and acknowledging his immense contributions to counter-insurgency operations and his tenure as Director of Defence Information between 2015 and 2017.
Following the release of his remains, funeral prayers were held for the late Major General in Katsina on Saturday evening .
According to journalist Bakatsine, who reports on conflict in Nigeria’s North-West region, the ceremony was attended by family members, military officers, government officials, and local residents who gathered to pay their final respects.
Photos from the event showed mourners assembled for the Islamic funeral rites.
The abduction of the retired General and his wife, initially reported to have included their driver who reportedly escaped despite being shot, was described by the Katsina State Government as a deliberate and targeted operation .
Preliminary investigations revealed that the veteran military officer and his spouse were specifically monitored and trailed from Kaduna, their point of departure, before being intercepted by the gunmen along the Matazu axis.
The state government had assured the public that advanced security operations were underway to secure their release.
The Katsina State Government has yet to issue a new statement following the confirmation of the General’s death. The incident has sparked deep sorrow and concerns over the persistent threat of kidnapping in the North-West region.
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