Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has described the death of retired Major General Abubakar Rabe in the custody of bandits as a damning indictment of President Bola Tinubu’s handling of Nigeria’s security challenges.
In a statement, Atiku said the tragic death of the former Director of Defence Information highlights the worsening state of insecurity across the country and reflects what he called the government’s inability to adequately protect the lives of Nigerians.
According to Atiku, General Rabe dedicated a significant part of his life to serving and defending the nation, making his death in captivity both heartbreaking and unacceptable. He argued that if a retired senior military officer could fall victim to banditry, it underscored the growing vulnerability of all Nigerians.
The former vice president also linked the incident to renewed attacks in parts of the North-East, including reported assaults on communities in Chibok, saying the developments demonstrate that criminal groups have become increasingly emboldened while citizens continue to live in fear.
Atiku urged the Federal Government to declare a comprehensive security emergency and adopt more effective strategies to tackle terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
He maintained that the sacrifices of members of the armed forces should not be undermined by persistent failures in the country’s security architecture.
He further called on the authorities to honour the memory of General Rabe by taking decisive steps to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s security system and ensure that no citizen suffers a similar fate.
