Retired military officers and associates of the late Major General Rabe Abubakar (rtd) have called for a more proactive and realistic approach to tackling insecurity in Nigeria, saying many previous measures have either failed or delivered limited results.

The retired officers made the call on Thursday during a press conference in Kaduna held in honour of the retired general, who died after being abducted by bandits in Katsina State.

General Rabe’s death sparked widespread outrage over the worsening insecurity in the country, with renewed calls for investigations into the trillions of naira spent annually on defence and security operations

The retired army general was abducted alongside his wife, Hajiya Amina Rabe, by bandits on May 30 in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.

He later died in captivity, and his body was released by the bandits to state officials. He was buried in Katsina last Saturday in accordance with Islamic rites.

A few days after his death, his wife regained her freedom following a military operation in Katsina State.

Speaking on behalf of the retired military officers, Brigadier General Isma’ila Abdullahi (rtd) said the death of General Rabe should serve as a wake-up call for government and security agencies to rethink current strategies against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

Among those present at the briefing were Brigadier General Abubakar Abdulqadir (rtd), Brigadier General M.I. Tsiga (rtd), Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (rtd), Ambassador Ibrahim Usman Gafai and Ambassador Ahmed Muhammad Musawa.

Abdullahi described the late general’s death as a painful reminder of the worsening security situation in the country.

“Our colleague, friend and brother, Major General Rabe Abubakar, died after being abducted by bandits. His death has left us shocked and deeply saddened,” he said.

While commending the Federal Government and the Katsina State Government for efforts that led to the rescue of the deceased’s wife, Hajiya Amina Rabe Abubakar, the retired officers said the incident exposed serious weaknesses in the country’s security system.

They said restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s security institutions would require stronger leadership, better coordination and a comprehensive strategy focused on preventing attacks before they occur.

“The time has come for a more realistic and proactive response to insecurity. Nigerians deserve to live without fear, and the government must act with greater urgency to make that possible,” Abdullahi said.

He also said insecurity has spread beyond any particular region and should no longer be viewed through ethnic, religious or political lenses.

He cautioned Nigerians against blaming the North alone for the country’s security challenges, noting that kidnappings, terrorism and banditry now affect virtually all parts of the country.

“Security is a national problem that requires a national solution. We must stop giving it ethnic or regional colouration,” Abdullahi said.

The retired officers argued that the current security situation demands fresh thinking and stronger political commitment.

They identified weak cooperation among stakeholders, ethnic divisions, religious intolerance and inadequate political will as some of the factors hindering efforts to defeat criminal groups.

According to them, governments at all levels must move from reacting to attacks to preventing them through intelligence gathering, early warning systems and stronger security institutions.

The group called for greater investment in intelligence operations, improved coordination among security agencies and stronger border controls to curb the inflow of illegal weapons.

They also urged the 19 northern governors to work together on a regional security framework to address banditry, kidnapping and the proliferation of small arms.

While welcoming security cooperation between Nigeria and foreign partners, including the United States, the retired officers stressed that the responsibility for protecting Nigerians rests primarily with Nigerian authorities.

“No nation can secure Nigeria for us. International cooperation is important, but Nigeria must take the lead in securing its citizens,” Abdullahi said.

The former military officers also advocated greater support for community-based security structures, particularly in rural areas where many attacks occur.

According to them, vigilante groups and local security volunteers should be properly trained, supervised and equipped to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies.

“When heavily armed criminals attack communities, local defenders cannot be expected to confront them with inadequate equipment. Communities can organise and train selected youths under proper supervision to support security efforts,” he said.

However, they warned against uncontrolled distribution of weapons, insisting that any community security arrangement must operate under strict regulations.

The group also called on state governments to strengthen the proposed forest guard initiative through adequate recruitment, training, logistics and operational support.

On the debate over state police, the retired officers expressed support for the idea but said only states with the financial and institutional capacity to sustain such outfits should establish them.

Bandits get ammunition through people in office, Tsiga alleges

A former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga (rtd), alleged that bandits are obtaining ammunition through individuals occupying positions in government institutions.

Tsiga, who spent nearly two months in bandits’ captivity after his abduction last year, said efforts to negotiate with armed groups would achieve little unless authorities also identify and dismantle the networks supplying them with weapons, information and logistics.

Speaking at the briefing, Tsiga said his experience in captivity exposed him to conversations that suggested the existence of organised supply chains supporting bandit activities.

Recalling one incident, Tsiga said a bandit leader received a phone call in the early hours of the morning about the purchase of ammunition.

“One day, around 2 am, someone called and asked, ‘Kachalla, are you ready to buy 10 cartons of ammunition?’ He replied that he was interested but wanted to finish with an old man first,” Tsiga said.

He alleged that after the conversation, he asked the bandit to involve him in the business so he could understand how it worked.

“He told me, ‘You are a retired general. You are no longer in office. We are dealing with people who are still in office,’” Tsiga claimed.

The retired officer said the encounter strengthened his belief that insecurity is being sustained not only by armed groups in the forests but also by people providing support from outside.

“It is not only the bandits that matter. We must also look at those assisting them and supplying information,” he said.

Tsiga alleged that some informants and collaborators benefit financially from the crisis and therefore have no interest in seeing it end.

He questioned the effectiveness of negotiating only with bandits while leaving their alleged suppliers and sponsors untouched.

The former NYSC boss called for a comprehensive strategy targeting arms suppliers, informants and financiers, while urging communities to work closely with security agencies by sharing credible intelligence.

“Security is a collective responsibility. We must work together to defeat these criminal networks,” he said.

We’ll continue to put pressure on govt – Maj Gen Umar Mohammed

Speaking with Daily Trust, retired Major General Umar Mohammed, who said he was expected to be part of the group but was unable to attend, said the intervention by the retired military officers would not be a one-off effort.

He said the group would continue to engage the government and security agencies to ensure greater accountability in tackling insecurity across the country.

“We want to sustain it. We want to continue to put pressure on the security agencies and the government so that they can do better than what they are doing now,” he said.

On the timing of the intervention, Mohammed said it was never too late to do the right thing, describing the press conference as timely and appropriate.

“There is nothing wrong in doing what is right. You can do it early or at any time. The press conference is timely and apt. If it had been done earlier, that would also have been okay. What is important is that concern is being raised about the level of insecurity in the country,” he said.

Addressing concerns over the growing ethnic dimension to insecurity, Mohammed cautioned against giving criminality ethnic or regional labels, noting that security challenges affect all parts of the country.

Buratai warns of more high-profile abductions

Meanwhile, a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd), warned that ministers, senators and governors could become targets of kidnappers and terrorists if Nigeria fails to urgently change its approach to tackling insecurity.

Buratai gave the warning while reacting to the abduction and death of General Rabe’s, describing the incident as a dangerous sign of the growing strength of criminal groups.

He said the capture and killing of a senior military officer by bandits showed a serious decline in the country’s deterrence capability.

“If this trend continues unchecked, the next targets may include ministers, senators and even governors,” he warned.

The former army chief said the country’s current security strategy had produced limited results and called for a more aggressive and coordinated response.

He urged the Federal Government to establish a National Emergency Command with direct control over security operations in high-risk areas and to launch sustained military and intelligence offensives against terrorist and bandit groups.

Buratai also called for the arrest and prosecution of financiers, informants and collaborators sustaining criminal networks.

He urged governors to take greater responsibility for security through support for state policing initiatives, vigilante groups and community intelligence networks.

He said Nigeria must act decisively now or risk facing an even more dangerous security situation in the future. (Daily Trust)