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Abayomi AdisaWest Africa reporter, Lagos
AFP via Getty Images
Retired Maj Gen Rabe Abubakar, pictured present successful 2009, was spokesperson for the service a decennary ago
A retired Nigerian service wide who had been kidnapped by gunmen successful the country's north-west has died portion being held captive, the subject has said.
No radical has said it was down the kidnappings.
The abduction and decease of Abubakar highlights the continuing information challenges facing parts of north-west Nigeria, wherever transgression gangs known locally arsenic "bandits" often transportation retired kidnappings for ransom, arsenic good arsenic cattle rustling and attacks connected agrarian communities.
Some militant jihadists person besides operated successful the region. An alleged militant campy successful Sokoto authorities was the people of a US airstrike connected 25 December past year.
Katsina has been 1 of the states astir affected by the violence.
Local media reported that the retired serviceman had been going to a wedding connected 30 May erstwhile equipped men attacked his conveyance and seized him, his woman and their driver.
Days earlier quality of his decease emerged, a video shared connected societal media appeared to amusement Abubakar successful captivity. He was seen with an evident wounded to his near limb alongside his woman and different hostages.
The subject said it chose not to remark publically connected the abduction portion efforts to escaped those successful captivity were being made.
"In deference to ongoing rescue efforts by information agencies, the Armed Forces withheld nationalist remark portion each operational assets was deployed successful the anticipation of securing his harmless return," the connection said.
The whereabouts and information of Abubakar's woman stay unknown. But a subject spokesperson said that "ongoing operations person since been further intensified to bring perpetrators to justness and to dismantle each violent networks threatening our nation".
The subject paid tribute to the large general, who section media reported was 61 erstwhile helium died, describing the nonaccomplishment arsenic "tragic" and offered condolences to his household and erstwhile colleagues.
A connection said helium made "immense contributions to counter-insurgency operations… His committedness to work and to the unity of Nigeria remains a shining illustration for each personnel."
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