General Rabe Died of Snakebite, Family Reveals Wife Still in Captivity

Fresh details have emerged on the death of retired General Rabe, with his family disclosing that the senior military officer did not die from illness as earlier reported, but from a snakebite during the incident that also led to his abduction.

The revelation, shared by family members in a report monitored from DW, contradicts earlier claims that the late general died from complications linked to diabetes and high blood pressure.

According to the family, General Rabe was fatally bitten by a snake while in captivity, a development they say has been widely misunderstood in earlier media reports.

They also raised alarm over the continued captivity of his wife, who was abducted alongside him during the attack by bandits. The family said she has yet to regain freedom despite hopes that negotiations and security operations were ongoing.

Relatives expressed concern that misinformation around the circumstances of his death had overshadowed the urgency of efforts to secure the release of the surviving victim.

The situation, they said, has left the family in prolonged anguish, with uncertainty surrounding the whereabouts and condition of the abducted woman months after the incident.

Security sources have yet to independently confirm the family’s latest claims regarding the cause of death, but the development has sparked renewed public attention to the case.

The incident has once again highlighted the worsening security situation in parts of the country, where kidnappings and banditry continue to affect civilians, traditional leaders, and even retired senior military officers.

For the family, the priority remains the safe return of General Rabe’s wife, whom they say is still being held by the abductors under unclear conditions.

They called on security agencies and relevant authorities to intensify efforts toward securing her release, stressing that the family has endured prolonged trauma since the attack.

As reactions continue to trail the new revelation, the case remains a grim reminder of the human cost of insecurity and the unresolved pain left behind for families of victims.