*Allah didn’t create one particular tribe, religion to live or claim ownership of any of part of Nigeria – Chief Imam of National Mosque
By KEMI KASUMU, General Editor
The Chief Imam described the situation surrounding the demise of Alkali as “very unfortunate: it is very unfortunate that Alkali died this way. “However, we thank Allah that his body had been recovered. Even though it took weeks to trace the whereabouts of late Alkali’s corpse, we thank Allah, we thank the Federal Government and we thank the army for the dedication to find his body, so that he can be buried according to Islamic rites.”
The remains arriving the National Mosque Abuja preparatory to General’s final journey of no return.
Groping in pains and angers but retiring to Allah from whom every soul comes and unto whom he will returns, the Nigerian Muslim Community were handed the remains of their brother in Islam and “fantastic” officer and member of the Nigerian Armed Forces community, Major General Idris Alkali murdered by Beron people of Plateau State, by senior officers of the Nigerian Army who brought the body in for funeral rites, Janazah in his honour, held inside the National Mosque Abuja, on Saturday.
Ostensibly sorrowful Chief Imam of National Mosque, Abuja, looks at the body of Major General Idris Alkali, as he gets set to lead his Janazah in Abuja, on Saturday.
The funeral prayer, which was led by the Chief Imam of National Mosque Abuja, Dr Kabir Mohammad, amid tears, was attended by Muslims from within and outside the Federal Capital territory (FCT).
Dr. Mohammed commended the Nigerian Army for ensuring thorough search which led to recovery of the body of the deceased, described as a “national hero.”
Members of the Muslim Community and some senior Army officers file up in roles as Chief Imam of National Mosque, Dr. Kabir Mohammed, leads the funeral prayer inside the National Mosque Abuja, on Saturday.
The Chief Imam described the situation surrounding the demise of Alkali as “very unfortunate: it is very unfortunate that Alkali died this way.
“However, we thank Allah that his body had been recovered.
“Even though it took weeks to trace the whereabouts of late Alkali’s corpse, we thank Allah, we thank the Federal Government and we thank the army for the dedication to find his body, so that he can be buried according to Islamic rites.”
He called on the Federal Government to look into the security situation in the country, stressing that “every Nigerian has the right to live or pass through any part of the country without being harassed or intimidated by anybody or group of people.
“This is a fundamental human and constitutional right of everybody, irrespective of tribe or religious affiliation.”
Some of the dignitaries who graced the funeral ceremony of the late General.
He noted that Allah did not create one particular tribe or religion to live or claim ownership of any part of the country, adding that tribe or religious differences should never be a reason for crisis in the country.
The remains of late Major General Idris Alkali, which was found by a team of Nigerian Army on Search and Rescue Operation, was buried at Gudu Cemetery in Abuja according to Islamic rites on Saturday, after the National Mosque funeral session.
The burial, which was concluded at around 3 p.m., was attended by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (Rtd) and former Minister of Works and Housing, Alhaji Sunusi Dagash.
The late Senior Army officer was declared missing since September. 3, 2018.
The Military directed the Garrison Commander, 3 Division, Rukuba Barrack in Plateau to find the missing general and bring him dead or alive and if anything had happened to him, the garrison should find those responsible for it.
On Sept. 29, 2018, the Nigerian Army recovered Akali’s vehicle and his personal effects were seen and after further investigation, a shallow grave was discovered in which the general was initially buried.
Eventually, the remains of the officer was found in an abandoned well in a bush at Guchwet village in Shen Du District of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018.
