Army discovers grave where missing general was buried

The Nigerian army says it has located the grave where Muhammed Alkali, a missing general, was buried.

B. A. Akinruluyo, general officer commanding, 3 division, Rukuba barracks, made the disclosure at a press briefing on Friday.

Akinruluyo said some of the suspects arrested in connection with the incident confessed that the body of the deceased was buried in a place known as “No Man’s Land” Dura-Du community in Plateau state.

Alkali was the immediate past chief of administration of the Nigerian Army. He was declared missing on September 3 when he was traveling from Abuja to Bauchi state.

The deceased had just retired from the army after 35 years.

“You would recall that on 2 September 2018 at about 8:00pm, unknown gunmen attacked a shopping complex located at Lafande Community on the outskirt of Jos metropolis in Dura-Du District of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State,” he said.

“As a result of the attack, 11 people were killed while others sustained various degrees of injuries. The attack triggered protest by the people of the area on the morning of 3 September 2018. Irate youths in their hundreds trooped out, blocked the Eastern Bypass with stones and other dangerous objects. The immediate past Chief of Administration (Army), Major General Idris Alkali who recently disengaged from the Nigerian Army after 35 years meritorious service to the Nigerian Army and the country was travelling from Abuja to Bauchi via Jos same day.

“The senior officer was travelling alone in his black Toyota Corolla car with registration number, KWARA MUN 670 AA. Credible intelligence revealed that his car was stopped and he introduced himself as a general to the hoodlums who had barricaded the road that he was just passing through to Bauchi.

“The senior officer was assaulted and killed. Thereafter, his belongings such as clothing, cash, phones and laptop were shared by those who killed him. His body was dragged before being moved to somewhere else and his car was driven and pushed into the abandoned mining pit filled with water. The irate youths who followed his car to the abandoned mining pit filled with water on many tri-cycles popularly known as “Keke NAPEP” jubilated for reason best known to them or for mission accomplished. He was later buried in a shallow grave in an area popularly known as, “No man’s land” within the community.

“Please note that 4 different sources not known to each other at various times took us to the opened shallow grave where the senior officer was earlier buried but subsequently removed. Furthermore, sniffer dogs that have been cultured with the personal effects of the senior officer led us to the same opened shallow grave. That was the only grave we were led to by different people and sniffer dogs. We did not go to any other grave as the operation was carried out based on credible intelligence.”

Akinruluyo said rather than clamp down on the entire community, the military chose to go after the suspects who have confessed that the corpse of Alkali was exhumed and reburied.

He said some of those involved in the dastardly act but who are currently at large were known to the military.

Akinruluyo asked the residents of Dura-Du community to produce the corpse of Alkali and volunteer information on where he was reburied.

“Like I always say, the cordon and search operation is intelligence driven and that is why the operation has been conducted in line with international best practices and respect for human rights. This further explains why the division did not clamp down on the entire community. Only the perpetrators are being targeted,” he said.

“At this point, let me reiterate that all the actors involved in this dastardly act who are still at large are known to us. All efforts are being made to get them arrested and be brought to justice as their photographs and personal details are with the relevant security agencies. The cordon and search operation conducted by own troops has really exposed the heinous crimes being committed by the few but fully supported and concealed by the entire community.

“I want to commend members of the public for their cooperation and still solicit for anyone with credible information on where the senior officer was reburied. It is the civic responsibility of the Dura-Du community to produce the corpse of the deceased senior officer and those who were involved in the killing of the senior officer.”