Politics
Ten retired military officers caught in Nigeria’s worsening
THE abduction of former Director of Defence Information, Rabe Abubakar, a retired Major General, and his wife while travelling along Matazu Local Government Area, Katsina State, on May 30, has again drawn attention to the troubling trend of how retired military officers are increasingly becoming victims of the insecurity they once failed to contain.
Abubakar’s abduction adds to the list of cases involving senior retired military officers who have either been abducted or killed by terrorists, bandits and other armed criminals across the country.
The ICIR reports that Nigeria’s insecurity crisis has continued to evolve over two decades. The crisis, which is mainly driven by the Boko Haram insurgency and armed banditry, has seen over 40,000 people killed since at least 2018.
Boko Haram, which emerged in the early 2000s, escalated into a violent insurgency around 2009, carrying out attacks on civilians, security forces, and public infrastructure across Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. A splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has also remained active in the Lake Chad basin, repeatedly launching attacks on military formations and bases and government infrastructure.
In parallel, armed banditry has expanded across the northwest and parts of north-central Nigeria. Initially rooted in cattle rustling and attacks on rural communities, bandit groups have evolved into organised armed networks involved in mass kidnappings, village raids, highway ambushes and extortion through ransom payments. The expansion of these groups has significantly deepened insecurity in many Nigerian communities and along major transport routes.
Also posing decades of security challenges to the Nigerian state are the activities of ethnic militia groups in the Middle Belt, a melting flashpoint of communal and ethno-religious strife. These militia groups exploit local grievances to fuel mayhem, deepening long-standing ethno-religious conflicts.
A review of media reports shows that, over the past eight years, at least 10 retired senior military officers, including a former Chief of Defence Staff, major generals, brigadier generals, colonels and an air vice marshal, have either been abducted or killed in violent attacks linked to these broader insecurity dynamics.
The incidents have occurred across several states, including Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau, Zamfara, Kogi and Imo, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
For many Nigerians, the development highlights not only the expansion of insecurity despite years of military operations but also the bitter irony that senior military officers, once tasked with addressing the menace, are now themselves its victims.
Major General Idris Alkali
In September 2018, Idris Alkali, a retired Major General, was attacked while travelling through Plateau State. Alkali, a former Chief of Administration in the Army Headquarters, vanished around Dura-Du community in Jos South Local Government Area.
His disappearance triggered a massive military search operation.
Weeks later, soldiers recovered his remains from a well in Guchwet village of Shen district, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Investigations by the military alleged that he was attacked and killed by a mob while passing through the community. The irate youths had barricaded some roads during a protest when the General, who was travelling along the Jos road in his Toyota Corolla car, was attacked and killed by the youths.
Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh
On December 19, 2018, Alex Badeh, a retired Air Chief Marshal who served as Chief of Defence Staff between 2014 and 2015, was travelling from his farm in Nasarawa State when gunmen attacked his vehicle along the Abuja-Keffi Road. Badeh was shot dead, while his driver survived.
He was appointed Chief of Air Staff by former President Goodluck Jonathan in October 2012, and later became Chief of Defence Staff in April 2014.
At the time of his death, he was standing trial before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of diverting billions of naira meant for the procurement of weapons, a charge he consistently denied.
Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Maisaka
On November 9, 2021, Muhammad Maisaka, a retired Air Vice Marshal, and his grandson were killed when gunmen invaded his residence in Kaduna State.
According to reports, gunmen stormed Maisaka’s residence in the early hours of Tuesday, November 8, 2021. They shot him dead and injured his driver. The retired officer had been recovering from a medical condition that had left him paralysed for more than three years.
Colonel Rabi’u Garba Yandoto
Similarly, in January 2023, Rabi’u Garba Yandoto, a retired Colonel and two of his children were abducted by suspected terrorists along the Gusau-Tsafe road in Zamfara State.
The attack occurred in a region where armed groups had established extensive kidnapping networks and routinely targeted farmers, traditional rulers, civil servants and residents.
Yandoto was released after 10 days in captivity, amid reports that N10 million was paid to secure his freedom.
Briefing journalists in Gusau, Yandoto described his abduction as a “blessing,” saying it gave him direct contact with some bandit leaders declared wanted by the military, including individuals listed by the Chief of Defence Staff.
Major General Richard Duru
Richard C. Duru, another retired Major General, was abducted in Owerri, Imo State, in September 2023 after he was kidnapped along Bishops Court, Area 7, Orji/Uratta axis while driving in his black Mercedes-Benz.
He was later killed by his abductors despite a $50,000 ransom reportedly paid for his release.
According to police authorities in Imo State, the suspects were arrested by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit following intelligence-led operations and a tip-off.
Brigadier General Uwem Udokwere
Perhaps one of the most alarming incidents occurred on June 23, 2024, when Uwem Harold Udokwere, a retired Brigadier General, was killed during an attack in his home, at Sunshine Estate, in Abuja.
Gunmen reportedly invaded the estate, stabbed the retired general to death while he was trying to protect his family.
The incident generated widespread concern because it occurred in Nigeria’s capital city, where residents often assume there are higher levels of security compared with other parts of the country.
Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga
The abduction of Maharazu Tsiga, a retired Brigadier General, in February 2025 also attracted national attention.
Tsiga, a former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, was kidnapped on February 5, 2025, in his hometown in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State, alongside nine other residents.
Although his family reportedly paid ransom to secure his release, the kidnappers initially continued to hold him for several weeks, with conflicting reports over the total amount demanded and paid.
He was eventually released in April 2025 after weeks in captivity.
Major Joe Ajayi
One of the most tragic cases involved Joe Ajayi, a retired Major.
Ajayi, aged 76, was abducted from his residence in Odo-Ape, Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State on May 21, 2025.
His kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N50 million and later reduced their demand to N10 million. Despite the payment, Ajayi did not live. His abductors later directed the family to where his remains could be found.
His body was recovered and deposited at the Kabba Specialist Hospital mortuary.
Colonel Joseph Ajanaku
In January 2026, Joseph Ajanaku, a retired Colonel, was abducted in Plateau State. He was kidnapped in the early hours of the day at about 12:45 a.m. from his residence opposite the Salvation Army Church along Rukuba Road.
The abductors later contacted his wife and demanded a ransom of N200 million, while also threatening to kill him if military operations continued.
However, troops later switched to covert operations and rescued the retired officer at about 5:30 p.m. the same day at the outskirts of the Rafiki axis in Bassa LGA.
Rabe Abubakar: Former Defence Spokesman Kidnapped
The most recent case involved Rabe Abubakar, a retired Major General and former Director of Defence Information and one-time spokesman of the Armed Forces.
Abubakar and his wife were abducted while travelling towards Katsina on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Gunmen reportedly intercepted their vehicle in Matazu Local Government Area of the state and took them away.
According to the Katsina State Police Command, the attackers opened fire during the ambush, forcing the driver to escape with a gunshot injury.
The incident is particularly significant because Abubakar spent time serving as one of the public faces of Nigeria’s military during critical security operations. At the time of this report, he is still in captivity.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M
