KEY POINTS

• Late Major General Rabe Abubakar’s son says his father neither had diabetes nor hypertension.
• The family believes the retired army officer may have died from a snakebite, although the exact cause remains unknown.
• Abubakar’s wife, who was kidnapped alongside him, is still being held by bandits.

The family of the late retired Major General Rabe Abubakar has rejected claims by the Katsina State Government that the former military officer died from complications arising from diabetes and high blood pressure while in captivity.

Speaking in an interview with Deutsche Welle (DW) Hausa on Sunday, Isyaka Rabe, one of the deceased general’s sons, described reports linking his father’s death to diabetes as inaccurate, insisting that the family had no knowledge of the late officer suffering from either diabetes or hypertension.

The Katsina State Government had earlier stated that the retired general, who died after being abducted by bandits, had underlying health conditions, including diabetes and hypertension, which contributed to his death while in captivity.

However, Isyaka dismissed the account, saying the family does not believe those ailments were responsible for their father’s death.

Family Suspects Snakebite

According to him, there are several theories surrounding the circumstances of the retired general’s death, with some members of the family suspecting that he may have been bitten by a snake.

“Our father was not diabetic and did not suffer from hypertension. People have different opinions about what happened,” he said.

“We believe it was most likely due to a snakebite, while others think he might have stepped on something. From the video, you could see his leg was swollen, but only God knows the true cause of his death.”

He noted that speculation about a possible snakebite intensified after a video allegedly released by the kidnappers surfaced online, showing the late general with a swollen leg. Nonetheless, he stressed that only God knows the exact cause of death.

Paying tribute to his father, Isyaka described the retired army officer as a deeply religious, humble and peace-loving man who lived a modest life and ultimately died a hero.

He also disclosed that he had no information regarding how the body of his father was recovered from the abductors.

“When I announced the funeral prayer, many people asked how the body was recovered. I told them I didn’t know and that such questions should be directed to the government,” he explained.