The son of late Major General Rabe Abubakar (retd), Isyaka Rabe, has rejected claims that his father died from diabetes and hypertension, insisting the retired army officer had no history of either illness.

Speaking in an interview on Sunday, Isyaka said the family believes the former military spokesman may have suffered a heart attack while in captivity, although he acknowledged that only God knows the actual cause of death.

He also dismissed reports that his mother, who was abducted alongside the late general in Katsina State on May 30, had regained freedom, stressing that she remains in the custody of the kidnappers.

The Katsina State Government had announced Abubakar’s death on Saturday, attributing it to complications arising from diabetes and hypertension.

Reacting to the incident, former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, described the death as a tragic reflection of Nigeria’s worsening security situation. He called for urgent measures to combat banditry and terrorism, warning that no Nigerian is safe under the current security climate.

Similarly, Sokoto State Governor’s Special Adviser on Security Matters, Col. Ahmed Usman (retd), described the incident as a national tragedy and urged security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of the late general’s wife and other victims still in captivity.