Omoyele Sowore, AAC presidential candidate, spoke about reports surrounding the release of the remains of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar and the fate of the late officer’s wife in a video from 6:10 posted on Symfoni on Monday, June 15, 2026.
Commenting on the incident, Sowore recounted information he said he received regarding interactions between the abductors and security agencies. He alleged that the kidnappers declined to release the general’s wife at the same time they released his body because they did not want security operatives to take credit for her freedom.
The former presidential candidate noted that he could not independently confirm whether the woman had since been released but shared what he said he had been told about the development.
According to him, “They brought the wife and the body together, and when they got there, they were surrounded by security agencies. They said to the security agencies, ‘The reason we can’t give you the wife today is because you’ll go and claim credit for it. So take the body, at the appropriate time, we’ll release the wife. I don’t know if the wife has been released, but that’s what I heard.’”
Sowore stated that the account raises concerns about the circumstances surrounding negotiations involving kidnapping victims and their families. He argued that the information available to the public regarding such cases is often incomplete, making it difficult to fully understand what transpired.
He further maintained that transparency is necessary in handling security-related incidents, particularly those involving high-profile victims. According to him, Nigerians deserve clear information about the efforts being made to secure the release of abducted persons and combat criminal groups responsible for kidnappings.