Friday lines (117) With Dr Abubakar Alkali

By Dr Abubakar Alkali

The Death of Gen Rabe Abubakar (rtd) in The Kidnappers Den Should be a Wake Up Call To Clear All Bandits Camps by December 2026 Before They Bring Down the Nation.

Indeed, Gen Rabe’s death in captivity has to be the Last Straw that Should Break the Back of Bandits and Terrorists in Nigeria

Our gallant military has brought Peace in Liberia, Sierra Leone and ofher Countries. How could a small group of ragtag bandits and terrorists hold Nigeria to ransom? Just how?_

Government Must Deploy Extraordinary Measures to Stop the march of the bandits_

The death of Gen Rabe Abubakar (rtd) in the hands of his captors – the bandits and kidnappers – in Katsina state has sparked a new wave of anxiety amongst Nigerians on how these ragtag kidnappers are able to hold Nigeria, the so-called GIANT OF AFRICA, to ransom.

How? Just how could bandits put Nigeria on this edge? Can Nigeria survive this onslaught if it continues unabated? Can the nation allow the bandits to grow into another ‘Boko haram/ISWAP?

Indeed, banditry and terrorism is not a Northern Nigeria problem only, it is a pan-Nigeria problem. All parts of the nation are prone and susceptible to bandits attack as we have seen in the abduction of school children and teachers in Oyo state on 15th May 2026 and several other cases.

How could the military not be able to rescue their own? A General looking helpless in the hands of bandits? For 2 weeks, he was in captivity but on record, there wasn’t any drive by our security forces to decimate the bandits and get the General rescued. Yes our military is doing something about banditry because without them, the situation could have been much worse. But we need more from our gallant military to crush the bandits.

A General who served his nation at the highest level? This is very disturbing indeed. Is this how we are continuing? Is it now a norm for bandits to pick and choose anybody, walk him into the forest of their choice, avail him to snakes or other poisonous reptiles pending when their demands are met? The bandits have now changed their conditions to a double-edged sword:

1. Ask for release of their comrades from DSS custody and in addition.

2. Collect cash for ransom.

Katsina state where this tragedy occurred, has spent over one year negotiating with bandits and terrorists. The Katsina state government continues to grant the killers a misplaced amnesty yet, the problem is getting worse everyday as Katsina looks poised to take over from Zamfara as the new capital of banditry in Nigeria.

This is heartbreaking especially when juxtaposed with the fact that this is not the first time a top military general is abducted by ragtag bandits.

On 6th February 2025, General Maharazu Tsiga, former DG, NYSC was abducted by bandits in Tsiga town Katsina state. He was lucky to be alive today after. He was freed after 29 days in captivity. Unbelievably, his course mates – military generals – were reported to have set up a glorified Gofundme account and contributed money for ransom payment to secure Gen Tsiga’s release. This is not just unbelievable but heart breaking. Generals who should strategise to outwit the bandits and terrorists to rescue their colleague now contributing to pay ransom to bandits.

It is becoming a routine, a normality for bandits and terrorists to target senior military officers. Moreso, it looks effortless. No shots fired, no sweat, they simply abduct everybody as they wish; top military officers including generals.

You feel bile in your mouth when you remember the horrendous nay gruesome killing of Gen M Uba in November 2025 by Boko haram terrorists.

Before him;

1. Gen Dzarma Zirkusu was killed in November 2021 by Boko haram terrorists

2. ⁠Col Dahiru Bako was killed by Boko haram terrorists in September 2020

3. ⁠The legendary Sarkin Yaki, Col Muhammad Abu Ali was ambushed and killed in November 2016 by Boko haram terrorists.

4. ⁠Lt Col Ibrahim Sakaba was cut down in his prime by Boko haram terrorists in November 2018.

Rhetorics apart, this menace can potentially bring Nigeria down if care is not taken. To stop the march of the bandits, the following measures must be taken and implemented without any further delay:

A- GROUND TROOPS: The military high command must strategise and implement an ALL-OUT- GROUND WAR against the bandits and terrorists where the military (GROUND TROOPS) should TAKE THE FIGHT to the terrorists in the forests. Unless the military enters the forests and takes the fight to the bandits and terrorists, this war will NEVER be won. Ground troops must lead the way to the forests while the air component compliments the operation.

B- President Tinubu should stop any form of amnesty for bandits and terrorists and the National Assembly should criminalise any talks with bandits and terrorists.

C. Any bandit, terrorist or secessionists found guilty of terrorism should be HANGED PUBLICLY at the market square to serve as a DETERRENT to all bandits and terrorists.

D- BLOCK the use of mobile phones by bandits to negotiate ransom payments. The huge investments in federal ministry of communications, NCC, NITDA, National Space Research and Development Agency are all pointless if these MDAs cannot identify a digital system that can demobilise and block ransom payments by bandits and terrorists. The NIN registration of all SIM-cards is essential to achieve this. The last one conducted in 2021 during the Buhari administration failed so there is the need to conduct a new SIM-NIN registration.

D. President Tinubu should give a 100-day deadline for the military to CLEAR ALL OUR FORESTS of bandits and terrorists. GROUND TROOPS must lead the war supported by air power

E. President Tinubu should work with the Chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) to Set Up SPECIAL COURTS to try bandits and terrorists.

F. The so-called rehabilitation and reintegration programme for terrorists should be stopped henceforth. No terrorist deserves mercy.

G. A 60-day time frame should be set in the Proposed amended Terrorism Act to conclude the trial of all suspected bandits, terrorists and secessionists. No trial of any bandit or terrorist or secessionist should last beyond 60 days.

H. The CJN should Appoint SPECIAL JUDGES to try bandits and terrorists

I. Prode the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY to set up new TERRORISM LAWS by amending the anti – terrorism act 2015 and apply CAPITAL PUNISHMENT for convicted bandits, terrorists and secessionists.

J. NO TO STATE POLICE: State police amounts to begging the question. It will not solve the problem of insecurity in Nigeria. Rather, it will worsen insecurity in Nigeria because desperate state governors and other politicians will use state police to unleash violence and intimidate opponents during elections. Killings will increase in Nigeria if state police is created. Vigilantes are akin to state police so there is NO NEED for state police in Nigeria.

K- The department of state services (DSS) should be merged with the conventional police for efficiency and effectiveness. The DIA should be retained and saddled with covert intelligence gathering.

L- The federal road safety corps (FRSC) and the National security and civil defence Corp should be fully trained on terrorism combat and co-opted into the war against terrorism.

M- The anti-terror force comprising of the military, Police, DSS, FRSC, NSCDC should move into the forests for a face – to – face ALL-OUT-WAR against the bandits and terrorists to CLEAR the FORESTS within 100 days.