Major General Abdullahi Mohammed dies at 86 in Abuja. The ex-Chief of Staff to Obasanjo and Yar’Adua is mourned as a patriot and statesman
Major General Abdullahi Mohammed dies at the age of 86 in Abuja, marking the end of a distinguished era in Nigeria’s political and military history.
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The retired General, who served as Chief of Staff to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, reportedly passed away around 1 a.m. on Wednesday.
Family members confirmed his death to The PUNCH in Ilorin, describing it as a profound loss to the Ilorin Emirate, the Nigerian nation, and the armed forces.
Born in 1939 in Ilorin, Kwara State, Mohammed trained at the prestigious Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in the United Kingdom, and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army in 1958.
His military career saw him rise to the position of Director of Military Intelligence and later as a key player in the 1975 coup that ousted General Yakubu Gowon, paving the way for General Murtala Mohammed’s government.
He was appointed Governor of Benue-Plateau State from July 1975 to March 1976 and later became Director-General of the National Security Organisation (NSO), the precursor to today’s Department of State Services (DSS), serving until 1979.
After retiring from the army, he ventured into private enterprise as Managing Director of Atoto Press Limited in Ilorin.
In 1998, he returned to national service as National Security Adviser to General Abdulsalami Abubakar, helping to steer Nigeria’s transition from military to civilian rule.
With the advent of democracy in 1999, Major General Abdullahi Mohammed became Chief of Staff to President Olusegun Obasanjo, a role he retained under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua until his resignation in 2008.
Widely regarded as a disciplined officer and quiet power broker, Mohammed left a legacy of integrity and service.
In a condolence message, the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) described his death as a monumental loss to both the Emirate and Nigeria.
The union’s statement, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Nurudeen Ibrahim, hailed him as the first son of Ilorin to serve as a state governor and the first to attain the rank of a two-star General in the Nigerian Army.
“General Mohammed played critical roles in Nigeria’s history,” the IEDPU noted. “He was a patriot who fought to keep the nation united and served with exceptional dedication.”
The group extended condolences to President Bola Tinubu, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Abdulsalami Abubakar, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.
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They prayed that Almighty Allah forgives the late General’s shortcomings and grants him Aljanat Firdaus, while comforting his family and loved ones at this difficult time.
