Army Finally Locates Grave Where Missing General Was Buried

Several weeks after the Nigerian Army recovered the vehicle and personal belongings of missing Major-General Idris Alkali (rtd) from a pond at Dura-Du community in Jos South LGA, a grave where the missing general was buried has been uncovered.

The army, which acted on intelligence report, said its personnel were taken to a shallow grave where the missing general was buried before the body was later exhumed at the peak of its intense investigation.

The army said four independent sources took its men to the shallow grave where Alkali had been buried.

The revelation was made on Friday by Major General, B. A. Akinruluyo, the General Officer Commanding, 3 Division, Rukuba Barracks.

“Please note that four 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,” he said.

“Furthermore, sniffer dogs that have been cultured with the personal effects of the senior officer led us to the same open 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.

“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 (army) division did not clamp down on the entire community. Only the perpetrators are being targeted.

“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.

“Finally, the division also wishes to emphasise its adherence to the principles and respect of human rights in the discharge of its constitutional roles. It further calls on everyone within its area of responsibility to remain vigilant and report any suspected breach of the peace to security agencies,” said Akinruluyo.

Major General Alkali went missing on September 3 after departing his residence in Abuja for Bauchi state.