Jun 15, 2026

Ejiofor Slams Insecurity After Retired General Dies in Captivity

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in news

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Abuja/Katsina, Nigeria – June 15, 2026 — Former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has described the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar in the custody of bandits as a “sad commentary” on Nigeria’s worsening security situation.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Monday, Ejiofor expressed deep concern that serving and retired generals are now being killed or dying while in the hands of bandits, describing the development as irritating and unacceptable.

“It is a very sad commentary on our country that serving retired generals are killed mercilessly or die in custody of bandits. It is very irritating, and we seem to be going on as if nothing has happened,” Ejiofor said.

Details of the Incident Retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who served as Director of Defence Information between 2015 and 2017, was abducted on May 30, 2026, while travelling with his wife and driver in Katsina State.

He died while in captivity. His son, Isyaka Rabe, has disputed the official cause of death attributed to complications from diabetes and hypertension, suggesting instead that his father may have died from a snake bite. His wife remains in captivity.

The eneral’s body was handed over by his captors and buried in Katsina amid tears, with sympathisers including military colleagues in attendance.

Ejiofor noted that when the abduction first occurred, many hoped the general would be released alive.

“Sadly and unfortunately, he died in the custody of these people and these bandits — terrorists — seem to have achieved their aim of instilling fear among the populace that if a general can be taken in and die in the process and nothing happens,” he lamented.

Focus on Safety, Not Body Count Ejiofor criticised the emphasis on the number of terrorists killed by security forces, noting that President Bola Tinubu had claimed that 13,000 terrorists had been decimated.

He stressed that Nigerians are more concerned about their personal safety and freedom of movement than statistics.

“Nigerians are not interested in figures; we are interested in security of lives and property.

Look at the whole situation, and people cannot move around, so until the state is secured, people are not interested in these figures of decimating, killing people and killing the bandits, terrorists and all the rest of them,” he said.

Calls for Stronger Collaboration and State Police The former DSS boss called for greater collaboration among security agencies, particularly the State Security Service (SSS), to apprehend the perpetrators.

He also noted that while the United States has offered support in the fight against terrorism, the collaboration has not yielded significant impact so far and urged intensified efforts, including greater use of technology.

On solutions, Ejiofor strongly advocated for the establishment of state police, estimating that it could reduce Nigeria’s security challenges by 80 to 100 per cent.

He argued that state police officers, recruited locally, would have better knowledge of the terrain and cultural dynamics compared to federal forces operating across diverse regions.

However, he warned against potential abuse of the system, particularly political patronage in recruitment, and urged the National Assembly to establish clear safeguards during the legislative process.

Broader Implications The death of General Abubakar has heightened public outrage over the vulnerability of even high-ranking military officers to banditry in the Northwest.

It has also intensified calls for more decisive action against armed groups operating in states like Katsina, where the military recently launched Operation Clean Sweep III in response to the incident.

Ejiofor’s remarks underscore growing frustration among security experts and the public over the apparent inability of authorities to protect citizens — including those who once served at the highest levels of the military — from criminal elements that continue to operate with relative impunity.