Contradictory accounts have deepened the controversy over how the remains of Rabe Abubakar were recovered, even as family members have questioned the credibility of the official cause of his death in captivity.
Mr Abubakar, a retired major general, and his wife were abducted on 30 May along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The Katsina State Government later announced that he had died in captivity, attributing his death to complications arising from diabetes and hypertension.
However, members of his family have disputed that account, insisting he had no history of either condition.
The kidnappers are still holding Mr Abubakar’s wife.
According to a security source, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, the kidnappers directed state government officials to a location near the Karaduwa community, where they handed over the body before it was conveyed to Katsina under military escort.
How the body was reportedly recovered
In an exclusive phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the security source said an ambulance was sent to Karaduwa following the communication with the kidnappers.
The source said those involved in the recovery were reportedly instructed not to bring security personnel to the location.
“They said they did not want any security presence,” the source said.
According to the account, the ambulance was directed to a location near Karaduwa bridge, from where the crew was instructed to turn the vehicle around towards the Matazu direction before the kidnappers arrived on motorcycles with the body.
“After the driver turned the ambulance, they came with the corpse on motorcycles and handed it over,” the source said.
According to him, the kidnappers instructed those present not to touch the body until they had left the area.
The source said the remains were subsequently conveyed to Matazu, after which military personnel escorted the ambulance conveying the body to Katsina.
“While returning home, I saw an ambulance escorted by soldiers conveying the corpse to Katsina,” the source said.
PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify the account.
The source added that some residents initially reported that the body had been abandoned near Karaduwa and later discovered by locals, a version that circulated within the community before details of the alleged handover emerged.
However, another source from the area, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, corroborated the earlier account. According to this source, the body was found by locals near a sawmill in Karaduwa.
“Near the area where they have machines used for cutting wood for people who buy and sell—that was where it was dumped,” he said. “The locals later discovered the body and notified security personnel, who came, identified the remains, and picked them up in an ambulance escorted by the army to Katsina.”
PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify either account, and military authorities have not publicly commented on the circumstances surrounding the recovery of the remains.
In a post on X on Sunday, former Kogi West senator Dino Melaye claimed that “heavily armed bandits” handed over the late general’s body in Katsina before returning to a nearby forest in Matazu. Mr Melaye did not disclose the source of his information,
However, a review of the visuals in his post revealed apparent inconsistencies, including the depiction of a woman who does not appear to match publicly available photographs of Mrs Abubakar, who remains in captivity.
Family still seeking answers
One of the late officer’s sons, Isyaka Abubakar, said the family remained uncertain about how the body was recovered.
“When I announced the time for my father’s funeral prayer, many people began asking how the body was recovered. I told them I did not know and that they should direct such questions to the government,” he said in an interview with Deutsche Welle (DW).
He added, “I myself want to know how the body was recovered without rescuing her.”
The remark highlights one of the central questions troubling the family: how the retired general’s remains were recovered while his wife, abducted alongside him, remains in captivity.
Wife remains in captivity
The family has also dismissed reports suggesting that Mrs Abubakar had regained her freedom.
“Take it from me, our mother is still in captivity. She has not been released,” Isyaka said.
Her continued detention has heightened concerns among relatives and residents as efforts to secure her release continue.
Conflicting accounts of death
While announcing Mr Abubakar’s death, the Katsina State Government said he died from complications related to diabetes and hypertension.
However, Isyaka rejected that claim, saying his father had no history of either illness.
He told DW broadcast outlet that reports attributing the former military officer’s death to diabetes were inaccurate.
According to him, some people believed the late general died from a snake bite based on the last video released by the kidnappers, although he acknowledged that only God knows the actual cause of death.
The deceased officer’s daughter, Adda Abubakar, had earlier made a similar claim on social media, insisting that her father did not suffer from diabetes and suggesting that a snake bite might have caused his death.
Neither claim has been independently verified.
Fresh military offensive
Amid the unclear circumstances surrounding Mr Abubakar’s death, the military launched an offensive in parts of Katsina State.
On Monday, the Joint Task Force North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA announced the commencement of Operation CLEAN SWEEP III in Matazu Local Government Area and adjoining communities, including Karaduwa, saying the operation was launched following the retired general’s abduction and death in captivity.
According to the military, troops have conducted clearance operations and targeted locations identified as terrorist and bandit hideouts in the area as part of efforts to dismantle criminal networks and restore security.
Background
Mr Abubakar, a retired major general and former director of defence information, was abducted alongside his wife on 30 May while travelling along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road in Katsina State.
His death in captivity has drawn national attention and renewed concerns about persistent kidnapping and insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria.
While the retired officer has since been laid to rest, questions remain over the exact circumstances of his death and how his body was recovered.