The family of late Major General Abubakar Rabe (retd.) has expressed anguish over the continued captivity of his wife, Amina, describing the situation as a painful ordeal after the retired military officer died while in the custody of bandits.
Speaking after the late general’s burial in Katsina State on Saturday, the family said they were devastated that they had to lay their father to rest without the presence of their mother, who was abducted alongside him and remains in captivity.
Rabe and his wife were kidnapped on May 30 along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The retired officer later died in captivity, sparking grief among family members and renewed concerns over the country’s worsening security situation.
One of his daughters, Khadija Rabe Abubakar, said the family had remained hopeful that both parents would regain their freedom alive, adding that news of her father’s death came as a painful shock.
“We buried our father without our mother by our side. That pain is indescribable. Every day she remains in captivity deepens our trauma,” she said.
Khadija appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue her mother, stressing that the family was seeking accountability rather than sympathy.
She said, “We are asking those responsible for protecting lives to do everything possible to bring her back safely. Every additional day in captivity increases the suffering of the family.”
Also speaking, the deceased’s son, Isyaku Rabe Abubakar, described his father’s death as a tragic end for a man who dedicated decades of his life to serving Nigeria in various military capacities.
According to him, it was painful that a retired senior military officer who spent years defending the country could fall victim to criminal elements and eventually die in captivity.
The family maintained that rescuing the widow should now be treated as a matter of urgency, noting that her safe return would offer some comfort amid the grief caused by the retired general’s death.
The late officer was buried in Katsina according to Islamic rites, with family members, government officials, military personnel and sympathisers in attendance, while calls continue to mount for intensified efforts to secure the release of his wife and other victims of kidnapping across the country.