The Nigerian Army on Friday said it has discovered a shallow grave where missing Major General Muhammed Alkali was buried after he was killed.
General Officer Commanding 3 Armoured Division in Rukuba Barracks, Major General Benson Akinroluyo, at a press conference narrated how the grave was discovered following confession by some arrested suspects.
According to Akinroluyo, the grave was confirmed by four independent sources in the community and also by sniffer dogs.
“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.
Alkali was the immediate past chief of administration of the Nigerian Army. He was declared missing on September 3 when he was travelling from Abuja to Bauchi State.
His car 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.
