“A General Held for Ransom”: Group Says If Top Officers Aren’t Safe, Nigeria Has a Huge Problem.

A major Nigerian civil society group, CISLAC, is furious and heartbroken. They are demanding a full, independent investigation into how Nigeria spends its massive security budgets. Why? Because a retired Major General, Rabe Abubakar, was just killed while in bandits’ custody.

For CISLAC’s director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, this isn’t just a tragedy it’s a national disgrace. He put it bluntly: if a decorated former military commander isn’t safe from kidnappers, what hope does an ordinary farmer or teacher have?

“This is a wake up call,” Rafsanjani said. “If the men who spent their lives defending us can die like this, then the rest of us are sitting ducks.”

The group is now calling on the Federal Government to declare a national emergency on insecurity. They point to the staggering N5.41 trillion budgeted for defence and security in 2026 the largest in Nigeria’s history and ask a simple question: Where is the result?

CISLAC also took aim at recent comments by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, who suggested that “only God” can end the crisis. Rafsanjani didn’t hold back.

“We didn’t appoint ministers to tell us about God’s powers. We appointed them to protect lives. That’s their job. Right now, we’re getting excuses, not action.”

He also fired back at Defence Minister General Christopher Musa (retd.), who blamed global wars (like those in Ukraine and Gaza) for making it hard to buy military equipment. Rafsanjani’s counter was sharp: “If global wars make it hard for us to get weapons, how come bandits and terrorists never seem to run out of AK-47s? Something is not adding up.”

The group is demanding an independent audit of all security votes both federal and state. They also want to see better intelligence, proper training for troops, and an end to what they call a “lack of urgency” in the presidency and parliament.

“Hundreds of Nigerians women, children, the elderly are still in captivity right now,” Rafsanjani added. “Today, it’s retired generals. Tomorrow, it could be the people in power today. This crisis won’t spare anyone.”