Sunday Magazine Feature

By Uruakpa Onyemaechi Charles

The reported abduction of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, former Director of Defence Information, and his wife in Katsina State is more than another kidnapping statistic. It is a sobering national moment.

For years, Major General Abubakar stood before cameras and microphones as one of the public faces of Nigeria's military establishment. He communicated security updates, reassured citizens during difficult times, and represented an institution entrusted with protecting the nation's territorial integrity.

Today, he has become a victim of the very insecurity that continues to trouble many parts of the country.

The incident raises uncomfortable but necessary questions.

If a retired senior military officer can reportedly be abducted while travelling on a major route, what does that say about the safety of ordinary citizens who make similar journeys every day?

Across Nigeria, countless families live with the fear of violent crime, kidnapping, and attacks on highways and rural communities. Farmers worry about their safety on farmlands. Traders worry about reaching markets. Parents worry about children travelling to school. Businesses factor insecurity into the cost of operations.

Security is not merely the absence of violence. It is the presence of confidence. It is the ability of citizens to travel, work, invest, worship, and sleep without fear.

The significance of this incident lies not only in who was abducted but in what it symbolises. It underscores the reality that insecurity does not discriminate. It affects the rich and poor, civilians and military veterans, public officials and ordinary citizens alike.

While security agencies have reportedly launched rescue operations and intensified efforts to secure the victims' release, Nigerians will be hoping for more than a successful rescue. They will be looking for lasting solutions.

The fight against banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and organised crime requires more than military deployments. It requires intelligence gathering, community engagement, technological surveillance, economic opportunities for vulnerable populations, and a justice system capable of ensuring accountability.

Nigeria has made progress in some areas, but incidents such as this demonstrate that significant work remains.

As the nation awaits positive news regarding Major General Abubakar and his wife, one lesson remains clear: national security must never be viewed through political lenses or measured solely by official statements. It must be assessed through the daily experiences of citizens.

The true test of security is simple.

Can Nigerians travel freely?

Can communities sleep peacefully?

Can families live without fear?

Until those questions are answered confidently in the affirmative, the task of securing Nigeria remains unfinished.

The abduction of a retired general is not merely a headline. It is a reminder that the quest for a safer Nigeria remains one of the most urgent responsibilities of leadership and one of the greatest expectations of the people.