JUST IN: Army Discovers Grave Where Missing General Was Buried

The Nigerian Army said it has discovered a shallow grave where a
missing major general, Muhammed Alkali, was buried after he was
killed.

The army said the body was later exhumed and reburied somewhere
else by the killers, according to the information provided to it by
some of the arrested suspects.

According to the army, the shallow grave was confirmed by four
independent sources in the community and also by sniffer dogs.

A PREMIUM TIMES correspondent who visited the area of the
shallow grave reports that there is a distance of one kilometre
between the main road and the location of the grave.

Mr Alkali was the immediate past chief of administration of the
Nigerian Army. He was declared missing on September 3 when he was
traveling from Abuja to Bauchi State. He is believed to have been
killed by his abductors.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the car of the missing general was
found weeks ago in the community’s pond after it was drained.

A blood-stained T-shirt, a boxer short and a pair of shoes
believed to belong to the general were found in the car.

Since the discovery of the car, there have been fears the
military could attack the community in retaliation.

A day after the car was found, the army cordoned off the Dura Du
community and arrested 30 suspects in connection with the suspected
murder of the general.

Apart from the discovery of the missing car, two other vehicles
were also recovered from the pond.

Following the arrest of the 30 suspects, residents of the
community fled for fear of military action but the army pledged to
conduct the search with respect for human rights.

On Friday, a major general, B. A. Akinruluyo, the General
Officer Commanding, 3 Division, Rukuba Barracks, narrated how the
shallow grave was discovered.

“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,” the major general
said.