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| The hero and his Family |
Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Abu Ali also nicknamed Slim
by course mates. (August 15, 1980 – November 4, 2016) was Nigerian Army officer
who Commanded the Army's 272 Tank Battalion. He was killed in an ambush by Boko
Haram in Fatori, Borno State.Ali graduated from Command Secondary School, Jos
in 1997 and was admitted to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1998 as a member of
the 50th Regular Course. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the
Nigerian Army Armour Corps in September 2003.
It is interesting to know that
Muhammed Abu Ali is the son of Colonel Abu Ali (now the Etsu of
Bassa-Nge Kingdom in Kogi State)., who was
governor of Bauchi state from August 1990 to January 1992 during the military
regime of Ibrahim Babangida.
He was described by his colleagues as a gallant and
brave soldier. He participated or even led many major operations in the North
East, including the liberation of Mubi and many other towns from the hands of
Boko Haram.He enjoyed an accelerated promotion from the rank of Major to
Lieutenant Colonel and was decorated by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant
General TY Buratai at Gamboru Ngala on 9th September 2015 during an operational
visit. He did YOC Armour, YOC Infantry, Platoon Commander's Course, Tank Auto
Instructor's Course, Junior Divisions Course, Scorpion Conversion Course,
Command and Staff Officers Operational Skills Corps.
He participated in the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United
Missions in Darfur (UNMO), and received an accelerrated promotion from the rank
of Major to Lieutenant Colonel, receiving a gallantry award by the Chief of
Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai in September 2015.Death
Un fortunately Lt Col Abu Ali along with 6 other
soldiers were ambushed and killed by Boko Haram on November 4, 2016 an
encounter with suspected Boko Haram extremists that attacked 119 Battalion,
Nigerian Army location at Mallam Fatori in Borno State. at the National
Military Cemetery, Abuja. His death touched many Nigerians especially in the
role he played in the fight against insurgency in the North east.he led the
army units that recovered Gamboru-Ngala, Baga and several communities from the
terrorists and was given accelerated promotion over his peers.
Chief of Army Staff award for exceptional bravery
Ali received the Chief of Army Staff award in Gamboru for exceptional bravery from Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai on September 9, 2015 for his role in the fight against Boko Haram.
RESPECTED
BY SOLDIERS
Ali’s elevation was not just the
decision of the chief of army staff or the rest of the army hierarchy; the
soldiers fully supported it. According to a soldier who witnessed his
“leadership qualities” in Baga, and two others who were with him in Sambisa,
soldiers were generally “very happy for him”.
“He led us with the T-72 when
we advanced to Monguno and Baga, and he collected those places,” he said.
The T-72 is a Soviet
second-generation main battle tank that entered production in 1971. About
20,000 T-72 tanks were built, making it one of the most widely produced
post-World War II tanks, second only to the T-54/55 family.
There have been at least three
upgrades to the tank, the most popular being in 1988 and 1995, although they
are unavailable in Nigeria.
A second soldier who extolled Ali’s
virtues said: “After he collected those places [Baga and Monguno] in 2015, they
brought someone else to replace him and they took him to Sambisa area; we went
with him to Sambisa.
“He is a brilliant fighter.
When he began hanging his promotion emblem officially on September 9, we
were together on that day and we were all very happy for him.”
A third soldier, who had spent time
with him in Sambisa, went as far as touting him as a potential helmsman of the
army: “The man is very active; very active. And he is a very calm and
intelligent person. He doesn’t brag, he knows his job and he is very simple.
“He is a future chief of army staff,
if I may say, but he has to be wary of the corruption that is the
shortcoming of many good hands in the army.”
His men loved him It was evident that his men loved him,
according to one of the soldiers: “In the case Baga, when it was recaptured
from Boko Haram, the officer who led that operation, Abu Ali, a major at the
time, told the soldiers that they should not worry, that they should only do
five percent of the job, that he was going to do 95% of the job with the tanks.
“And that was exactly what happened. He did most of the work with the tanks. He
was a major at that time and his promotion after the operation was automatic
because he performed very well. One smallish guy like that o. “After they
recaptured Baga, the soldiers were so happy that they raised him up, telling
the president to elevate him to the status of colonel, not even
lieutenant-colonel, because he really performed; he tried. Even recent
operations in Sambisa Forest, he led some of them.” May he rest in peace.
Lt. Col. Muhammad Abu Ali is survived by his wife
Samira, their three children Mimi, Abba and Yasmin, his father, the Estu
Bassange of Kogi state, Abu Ali, his mother Hajiya Fatima, three other mothers
and 20 siblings.At this point we pray for his family and the Nigerian Army that
God gives them the fortitude to beartheloss.”
A special tribute to the Gallant Hero by Col. Mustapha Anka, Deputy Director, Department of Army Public Relations, and spokesperson, 7 Division Nigerian Army, Borno State reads:
A special tribute to the Gallant Hero by Col. Mustapha Anka, Deputy Director, Department of Army Public Relations, and spokesperson, 7 Division Nigerian Army, Borno State reads:
“An officer and a
gentleman. Cherished, admired and adored. By officers, soldiers and civilians.
As angels adore God in heaven. Your transition, a shocking transition. Was like
a candlelight blown out by the wind. An evil wind in an evil world. Though your
memories remain. Forever in our hearts. A great hero of our time. The scourge
of the enemies. A commander, a lion and a desert fox. Feared by cowards,
revered by adversaries. Whenever your name echoed in the battlefield. We have
lost a conqueror, a brave officer. Whose name was engraved with diamond. For
diamonds are forever. We are in pain, an enormous pain. As your blood flows in
our veins. We will never be the same. Your death will never be in vain. We part
to meet, this I’m sure of. We will regroup to part no more, this I know.
Because from Him we come, and to Him we return. Rest in peace Amen.”
Lt. Col. Abu Ali was a hero he face terror with a lion
spirit and that’s why we (A.M)
decided to use him as the role model for the week. The government must do much
to compensate and appreciate our great military men (both the living and the
dead) for making the supreme sacrifice to ensure the protection of the nation’s
territorial integrity.
Also, greater effort must be made to motivate the military officers in the battlefield. Though intensity of activities of the Boko Haram radicals has reduced during recent the closing hour of 2017 till 2018 by our wonderful soldiers, the remnants and factions of the terrorist group are still performing hit and run operations. Bokoharam is nothing but a seriously wounded snake though they are still dangerous – with the recent abduction of over 100 Dapichi school girls at Yobe state Nigeria, it shows that the Sect are not totaly defeated however the way still continues.We also use the opportunity to call for serious concern from the government, especially coming after years of relative success by the troops of the Nigerian armed forces, in which the late Abu Ali played a major role. The Nigeria Military need more equipment to perform brilliantly in the thearte of war. Most of the tanks and artillerries are outdated and worned out by war. Nigeria have Soldiers of undisputed valour but lack adequate equipments to support themselves which led to serious loss of lives among the gallant defenders. Corruption have already done a great damage to the supply of weapons to the army as some bad eggs in administration of the army divert billions of Naira meant for arms into their bank account. All thanks to the Buhari’s administration that have launch a campaign to end terrorism.However all the motivation needed to further boost the morale of the soldiers should be given to them, to enhance their capacity to ensure the final defeat of the Boko Haram devotees, whose nefarious activities have left over 20,000 innocent citizens dead and destroyed property worth about $12billion since 2009.
Also, greater effort must be made to motivate the military officers in the battlefield. Though intensity of activities of the Boko Haram radicals has reduced during recent the closing hour of 2017 till 2018 by our wonderful soldiers, the remnants and factions of the terrorist group are still performing hit and run operations. Bokoharam is nothing but a seriously wounded snake though they are still dangerous – with the recent abduction of over 100 Dapichi school girls at Yobe state Nigeria, it shows that the Sect are not totaly defeated however the way still continues.We also use the opportunity to call for serious concern from the government, especially coming after years of relative success by the troops of the Nigerian armed forces, in which the late Abu Ali played a major role. The Nigeria Military need more equipment to perform brilliantly in the thearte of war. Most of the tanks and artillerries are outdated and worned out by war. Nigeria have Soldiers of undisputed valour but lack adequate equipments to support themselves which led to serious loss of lives among the gallant defenders. Corruption have already done a great damage to the supply of weapons to the army as some bad eggs in administration of the army divert billions of Naira meant for arms into their bank account. All thanks to the Buhari’s administration that have launch a campaign to end terrorism.However all the motivation needed to further boost the morale of the soldiers should be given to them, to enhance their capacity to ensure the final defeat of the Boko Haram devotees, whose nefarious activities have left over 20,000 innocent citizens dead and destroyed property worth about $12billion since 2009.
Thank you very much Ali.
Rest in peace egbon.
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