Seven mahogany coffins draped with the green-white-green national colours. A long row of soldiers decked out in their ceremonial dress. Two women cuddling two kids – a boy and a girl. All was sober and gloomy.
That was the scene yesterday at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja where the bodies of Lt.-Col. Muhammad Sarki Yakin (Lord of war) Abu-Ali and six soldiers who died last Friday in an attack by Boko Haram were buried.
It was a rare spectacle. Soldiers were crying as praises were heaped on the fallen heroes.
Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai was all tears as he read the funeral oration.
At about 5pm, the ambulances conveying the bodies of the soldiers arrived. They were dropped beside the red earth graves by moody soldiers who undertook the grim but necessary task of burying their colleagues.
All the military officers wore black bands. There were no banters.
The dead are: Lt.-Col. Muhammad Abu-Ali, Seagents Muazu Ibrahim, Bassey Okon, Hussani Jafaru, Cpl. Chukwu Simon, Private Salisu Lawal and Seaman Patrick Paul.
Lt Col. Abu-Ali and the six soldiers died when Boko Haram terrorists attempted to seize Mallam Fatori, Borno State.
Gen. Buratai said: “They were brave, precise, professional and inspiring. They led the battle to recapture the following towns: Monguno, Baga, New Marte, Bama, Gwoza, Banki Junction, Gamboru-Ngala, Yale, Yanteke, Bita, Deruwa, Daira Kangaruwa and Mallam Fatori.
“In these battles, they rescued children and women, fathers and mothers, the young and the old and restored peace and hope to Nigerian citizens.
At last, on Nov. 4, they paid the supreme sacrifice in the battle of Mallam Fatori.’’
According to him, the deceased epitomised the very best of our military. They exemplified the values of our nation and the military – loyalty, discipline, courage, selfless service, respect, honour and dignity.
Gen. Buratai had a message for the fallen heroes, who he praised for fighting for the unity of the nation: “Your labour will never be in vain.”
He promised that the army would take care of their families.
Gen Buratai’s voice was shaky. Two times he wiped his face and blew his nose.
There were more tears as the bodies were lowered into the graves. As Lt.-Col. Abu-Ali’s body was removed from the coffin, loud cries of anguish rang out. A woman soldier, identified simply as Corporal Hajira, unable to control herself, fell down and wept.
Throughout the ceremony, Lt.-Col. Abu Ali’s wife Semira, sat quietly with her children, Fatima (eight), Muhammad (five) and Aseeya (one).
Fatima was old enough to understand the tragedy. She never kept a dry eye. When her father’s body was lowered, her mother drew her close and they wept.
Lt.-Col. Abu-Ali’s father, a traditional ruler and retired Brig.-Gen.; sat with the dignitaries. He was calm. The families and other soldiers wept all through the solemn ceremony. A woman met with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin and said: “Please help me; he was all I have. I don’t have anything again.”
The event was brought to a close with the presentation of flags and swords to the families of the deceased.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Kyari, said the deceased had shown unalloyed commitment to the nation.
“They were fearless, responsive, inspiring, selfless and dedicated to their duties.
“The selflessness of these gentlemen reinvigorates the memories of other great fallen heroes, who stood firm in the defence of our dear nation,’’ the President said.
These officers have shown unalloyed commitment to rid Nigeria of Boko Haram.
“They stood firm in the defence of Nigeria and had to pay the supreme price in the fight against insurgency. Their sacrifice will not go in vain as Nigerians will continue to remember your efforts to secure the territorial integrity of Nigeria. It is our resolve that the labours of these fallen heroes shall never be in vain, we remain strong and will ensure terrorism is defeated.
“They say every soul shall taste death. Certainly, this is a monumental loss to their families. I want you to know that they did not die in vain. They lost their lives to ensure that Nigerians continue to enjoy peace, take solace that your loved ones have brought honour to Nigeria,” the President consoled the fallen heroes’ loved ones.”
Buhari noted that their contributions had resulted in the restoration of normalcy in the Northeast.
“It is, therefore, our resolve that the labour of these fallen heroes shall never be in vain,’’ he said, adding that insurgency and terrorism would be defeated.
At the funeral were Service Chiefs, Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, Ministers of Information and Culture, and Interior, Communication and Senators Ali Ndume and Phillip Aduda.
Also there were the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, and the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki, among others.
The remains were interred at about 5.55 p.m. after all military ceremonies.
Speaking earlier when he appeared before the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to defend the acquisition of disputed land in the Maitama District Territory by the Army, Gen Buratai described the death of Lt.-Col. Abu-Ali as an eye opener in the fight against insurgency.
He noted that utterances by highly-placed individuals were threatening national security.
The Army Chief said that one officer, six soldiers and one naval rating were killed in the ambush.
He said: “I want to tell you that the fight against Boko Haram insurgents is a matter of concern to everyone and what we are going to witness today at the burial ceremony should be an eye-opener. Although we have several cases of soldiers’ dying in battle field in the past, at this point in time, it calls for proper scrutiny because of the responses by individuals and indeed organisations to national defence and security issues.
“We must take the issue of defence and security very seriously so that collectively we would fight this insurgency to its final conclusion.”
