President Bola Tinubu has reacted to the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who died while being held by bandits after his abduction in Katsina State.
In a statement issued on Saturday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu said he received news of the former military officer’s death with shock and sadness.
Mr Abubakar, a former director of defence information, was abducted alongside his wife while travelling to his hometown in Katsina State. His wife remains in the custody of the abductors.
The president condoled with the family of the late military officer and also extended condolences to the Katsina State Government and the armed forces.
Tinubu said the incident highlights the security challenges facing parts of the country and insisted that the government would not give in to demands by criminal groups for the release of detained members.
“Bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror should now surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State. These windows of surrender will not remain open forever,” he said.
He added that Nigerians must remain united in confronting insecurity, saying those responsible for attacks across the country would be defeated.
“General Abubakar’s death should further serve as a defining moment in our battle against terrorists and insurgents, never to negotiate with them on any terms, but to continue to treat them as the greatest enemies of our nation,” the president said.
The Katsina State Government had earlier confirmed that Abubakar died while in captivity after suffering complications linked to diabetes and hypertension.
The retired officer and his wife were kidnapped in May, with a video later surfacing online showing both of them appealing for intervention to secure their release.
