Nigeria’s presidency has been criticized for issuing condolence statements about prominent deceased citizens but keeping mum on the gruesome passing of Major General Hassan Ahmed.
The former Provost Marshal (PM) of the Nigerian Army was assassinated Thursday night in the Abaji area in Abuja.
thedabigal first reported how gunmen ambushed and killed the top military officer on his way back to the nation’s capital from Okene.
Ahmed was in the company of his driver, Sergeant Bukar and sister Safina Ahmed – first thought to be the wife.
The trio had embarked on the trip in a Toyota Hilux with a private plate number
thedabigal was informed the late General was attacked without resistance because he wasn’t with his guards at the time of the incident.
Safina was kidnapped and her whereabouts are still unknown. The belief is that she is still in captivity.
On Friday, following an order to find Ahmed’s killers, the military and other security agencies launched a joint operation around the Koton Karfe axis of Kogi State.
They are combing forests in the area regarded as one of the major hideouts of kidnappers and bandits terrorizing the North-Central region.
On Sunday, a source confirmed that nothing has been heard from neither Safina nor her abductors.
“No word from them up till now. The gunmen left the driver thinking he was also dead and took Safina away. We are very worried”, a relative said.
Curiously, President Muhammadu Buhari and his media aides, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu are yet to publicly commiserate with the deceased’s family and the Army.
Critics noted that the Army already responded and buried Ahmed but argued that the refusal of the presidency to openly empathize was upsetting.
“They release statements every week to grieve over this or that person. Even Mr. President mourned his classmate.
“But a murdered General, who served Nigeria, doesn’t deserve presidential condolence? This is very unfortunate.
“This was a gentleman who prefers to go about without soldiers protecting him all the time. A Major General ended just like that!”, a source regretted.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya recently appointed Ahmed as a Director at the Army Headquarters in Abuja. He resumed barely two weeks before his death.
Ahmed was a member of the 40 Regular courses. His father and mother hailed from Borno and Edo States respectively.