- Tinubu Has Made The Sacrifices Of Our Soldiers, Citizens Seem Futile- Atiku
- CISLAC Demands National Emergency On Insecurity After Ex-General Dies in Captivity
Reports circulating on social media and some online platforms alleging that insurgents attacked a school and abducted students in Kautikari community, Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, have been dismissed as false by security and local sources, Zagazola Makama.
The clarification comes amid growing concerns triggered by comparisons with the infamous 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, a narrative that has been amplified bysome political figures and commentators, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who raised alarm over the reported incident.
However, findings from field assessments, operational reports and video evidence from the scene by Zagazola Makama indicate that no school in session was attacked and no students were abducted during the incident.
According to security sources, the attack occurred at about 7:30 p.m. on June 13 when suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) targeted a hunters’ patrol base located within the premises of a disused primary school in Kautikari.
The facility, sources said, had long ceased functioning as a school and was being used by local hunters supporting troops of Operation HADIN KAI in counter-insurgency operations across the area.
The attackers were said to have specifically targeted the hunters’ outpost rather than an educational institution.
Sources disclosed that the hunters initially resisted the assault and repelled the first wave of attackers. The insurgents, however, reportedly regrouped and launched a second offensive in greater numbers, forcing the hunters to withdraw temporarily after exhausting much of their ammunition.
Military reinforcement teams drawn from the 117 Task Force Battalion in Kwada, alongside a Quick Response Force, local hunters and vigilante operatives, were subsequently deployed to the area and engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun battle.
The coordinated response forced the attackers to retreat from the community.
Investigations further revealed that no students were present at the location during the attack and that post-incident accountability checks found no evidence of any abduction.
Security sources confirmed that there were no reports of missing schoolchildren and no indication that the terrorists targeted an active school.
he only casualties recorded were a civilian allegedly hit by a stray bullet and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), who sustained a gunshot wound to the arm.
No military personnel were killed or injured during the operation.
1urces also said the terrorists set fire to clothing and personal belongings belonging to the hunters stationed at the outpost before fleeing the area.
Video footage obtained from the aftermath of the attack reportedly showed one of the affected hunters displaying damaged sections of the facility and burnt belongings while explaining that the structure served as their accommodation and operational base.
“This is where we sleep,” the hunter was heard saying while pointing to the affected section of the building.
Observers believe the confusion stemmed from the fact that the hunters’ base was located within the premises of a defunct primary school. Images and videos showing damaged classrooms were subsequently circulated online without adequate context, leading to claims that a functioning school had been attacked and students abducted.
Security analysts warned that such misinformation could heighten public anxiety, particularly given Chibok’s painful history with mass abductions.
*Tinubu Has Made The Sacrifices Of Our Soldiers, Citizens Seem Futile- Atiku *CISLAC Demands National Emergency On Insecurity After Ex-General Dies in Captivity
They stressed the need for thorough verification before disseminating reports relating to schools and security incidents in conflict-affected communities.
The development is expected to counter narratives suggesting a repeat of the 2014 Chibok tragedy, as authorities maintain that the June 13 attack was directed at a hunters’ operational base and did not involve the abduction of any student.
Earlier, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the tragic death of retired Major General Abubakar Rabe in the captivity of bandits, describing the incident as a damning indictment of the Federal Government’s failure to secure the lives of Nigerians.
Atiku, in a statement issued by his media office on Sunday, said the death of the former Director of Defence Information once again exposes the ineffectiveness of the Tinubu administration’s approach to tackling insecurity and highlights the frightening reality that no Nigerian, regardless of status or service to the nation, is safe.
“It is with profound sadness and deep anger that we mourn the death of retired Major General Abubakar Rabe, a distinguished former Army Spokesperson and Director of Defence Information, who tragically passed away while in the captivity of bandits.
“General Rabe devoted the better part of his life to defending Nigeria. He served this country with honour, courage, and distinction. That such a man could end up dying in the hands of criminals is both heartbreaking and unacceptable,” Atiku said.
General Rabe was abducted on May 30, 2026, alongside his wife, who is reportedly still being held by the kidnappers in Katsina State.
Reports indicate that the retired General succumbed to complications arising from diabetes and hypertension during his ordeal after efforts to secure his release proved unsuccessful.
According to Atiku, the tragedy is not merely the death of one retired military officer. It is a stark reflection of a nation where criminal elements have become emboldened while citizens are increasingly left to fend for themselves.
“His death marks yet another painful blow to our nation’s security architecture and a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of even our most experienced military leaders in the face of rampant banditry and terrorism.
“General Rabe’s ordeal is not an isolated case. In recent times, other senior military officers and distinguished Nigerians have either been killed or subjected to similar traumatic experiences at the hands of criminal gangs. The message being sent is dangerous: that those who once defended the nation can no longer rely on the nation for protection.”
Atiku noted that the tragedy of General Rabe’s death was made even more disturbing by another horrifying development that occurred on the very same day.
“As Nigerians mourned the passing of a retired Major General in the captivity of bandits, terrorists were simultaneously attacking the Kautikari community in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State and setting primary and secondary school facilities ablaze.
“Chibok is not just a location; it is a national scar. Since the abduction of more than 270 schoolgirls in April 2014, the name has become a symbol of pain, loss, and collective trauma.
“Twelve years later, many families have still not fully recovered from the emotional devastation of that tragedy. Yet, on the very day a retired Major General died in the captivity of bandits, terrorists returned to the Chibok axis to burn schools.
“It was as though Nigeria was being dragged back into one of the darkest chapters of its history. The flames that consumed those school buildings yesterday also reignited painful memories that Nigerians have spent more than a decade trying to overcome. The tragedy is not merely that schools were burnt; it is that a wound that never truly healed has been torn open once again.
“The symbolism is devastating. A retired General who spent his life fighting for the security of Nigeria dies in the hands of criminals, while terrorists return to one of their most notorious trademarks — attacking schools and terrorising communities in Borno State.
Meanwhile, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called on the Federal Government to declare a national emergency on insecurity amid the rising wave of kidnappings, banditry and violent attacks across the country.
The organisation made the call following the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar while in the custody of bandits, describing the incident as a tragic reminder of Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.
In a statement issued by its Executive Director, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, CISLAC said the death of a retired military officer in captivity was not only a personal loss to his family but also a national tragedy that underscores the eteriorating security situation in the country.
fsanjani stressed the need for urgent and decisive action by the government to address the growing threats posed by criminal groups operating across various parts of Nigeria.
According to him, there is an urgent need to strengthen intelligence gathering mechanisms, improve coordination among security agencies and dismantle the networks that provide support for criminal activities.
He also called for greater transparency and accountability in security spending, noting that despite significant annual budgetary allocations to defence and security agencies, insecurity has continued to escalate.
The CISLAC boss urged the government to improve the welfare, training, equipment and operational capacity of security personnel, insisting that security operations should be more proactive and intelligence-driven.
While acknowledging ongoing discussions on the establishment of state police, Rafsanjani cautioned that any move towards decentralised policing must be backed by strong legal and accountability frameworks to prevent abuse and ensure effective oversight.
He further called on the National Assembly to intensify its ovrsight responsibilities over security institutions and ensure that resources allocated for security purposes are properly utilised.
CISLAC maintained that only a coordinated national response involving improved intelligence, accountability and institutional reforms can effectively tackle the country’s deepening insecurity challenges and restore public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.
