Atiku Abubakar Blames Tinubu's Incompetence for General Rabe's Death in Captivity

Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has strongly condemned the death of retired Major General Abubakar Rabe, who died while held captive by bandits. Abubakar described the incident as a "damning indictment" of the federal government's failure to secure the lives of Nigerians and blamed President Bola Tinubu's administration for incompetence.

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It is with profound sadness and deep anger that we mourn the death of retired Major General Abubakar Rabe, a distinguished former Army Spokesperson and Director of Defence Information, who tragically passed away while in the captivity of bandits.

In a statement issued by his media office, Abubakar expressed profound sadness and deep anger over the death of the former Director of Defence Information. He highlighted General Rabe's distinguished service to Nigeria and called his death in the hands of criminals "heartbreaking and unacceptable." Reports indicate that the retired general succumbed to complications from diabetes and hypertension during his captivity, as efforts to secure his release proved unsuccessful.

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General Rabe devoted the better part of his life to defending Nigeria. He served this country with honour, courage, and distinction. That such a man could end up dying in the hands of criminals is both heartbreaking and unacceptable.

Abubakar asserted that General Rabe's death is not an isolated case but a stark reflection of a nation where criminal elements have become emboldened, leaving citizens to fend for themselves. He warned that the message being sent is dangerous: that even those who defended the nation can no longer rely on it for protection. The former Vice President noted that this tragedy occurred on the same day terrorists attacked the Kautikari community in Chibok, Borno State, setting schools ablaze, reopening scars from the Chibok girls' abduction.

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His death marks yet another painful blow to our nation’s security architecture and a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of even our most experienced military leaders in the face of rampant banditry and terrorism.

"His death marks yet another painful blow to our nation’s security architecture and a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of even our most experienced military leaders in the face of rampant banditry and terrorism," Abubakar stated. He argued that centralized policing is insufficient to address Nigeria's complex security threats, suggesting that the federal government's approach has been ineffective.

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The message being sent is dangerous: that those who once defended the nation can no longer rely on the nation for protection.