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Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, has revealed the deep emotional investment and decisive crisis management actions taken by the presidency during the severe national security emergency surrounding the tragic demise of Major General Rabe Abubakar.
According to a video posted on the Official YouTube channel of SYMFONI on Saturday, June 20, 2026, while recounting the intense boardroom drama behind tactical rescue operations following the passing of Major General Rabe Abubakar, he stated, “the President said, ‘look, we can’t lose the general and lose his wife, do what is necessary.’”
The presidential spokesperson explained that the emergency directive catalyzed immediate coordination among top intelligence agencies, prompting security chiefs to deploy maximum strategic assets to secure the immediate, safe release of the high-profile captive without suffering further tragic casualties within the theater of operation.
Dare dismissed widespread claims from political opponents labeling the commander-in-chief as cold or lacking empathy, countering that the leader considers security the country’s most critical priority and feels a deep personal connection to the ultimate sacrifices made daily by Nigerian military personnel.
He noted that while direct force is an option, the administration carefully balances tactical aggression with civilian safety, often ordering commanders to explore alternative negotiations whenever intelligence indicates that an armed rescue attempt could inadvertently endanger innocent lives on the ground.
In his concluding remarks, Dare reiterated that the administration remains totally focused on winning the counter-insurgency war, pointing to the substantial fifty-one percent increase in the national defense budget as concrete proof of an unwavering commitment to permanently ending insecurity across the federation.
