The Nigerian Army has laid to rest, the remains of former Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Chris Alli, at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja, on Wednesday.
Alli, who died at the age of 79 in Lagos on Nov. 19, 2023, was Nigeria’s 15th Chief of Army Staff from 1993 to 1994 under late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.
He later served as the military governor of Plateau from August 1985 to 1986 during the military regime of President Ibrahim Babangida, as well as Interim Administrator of Plateau in 2004 under the civilian administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The funeral was attended by National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, who represented President Bola Tinubu, former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, and a representative of the Plateau Governor.
Also in attendance were serving and former service chiefs, as well as other prominent Nigerians and family members.
The burial was climaxed with the presentation of the National Flag to the next-of-kin of the late COAS and the laying of wreaths by dignitaries and the deceased’s wife, Mrs Dorothy Alli.
Before the burial, there was a funeral mass at St. Joseph Military Catholic Church, Mambilla Barracks, Asokoro, Abuja.
In his remarks at the funeral, Minister of Defence, Alhaji Muhammed Badaru, said the deceased served Nigeria with dedication and worked for peace, development, and unity in the country.
Badaru, represented by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, added that ”the late former COAS achieved significant influence on professionalising and repositioning the army to be a force to reckon with in both regional and global scenes’’.
He added that the late General lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation.
