Insurgency: Slain Army Commander Laid to Rest in Abuja

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The remains of the slain Army Commander, Colonel Husseini Samaila Sankara, were yesterday laid to rest at the Guards Brigade Cemetery amidst tears and emotion by relatives, colleagues and friends.

Sankara died on July 1, 2021 in Abuja due to complications from injuries sustained in the North-east Theatre Operation Hadin Kai when his vehicle ran into landmines laid by insurgents on May 30, 2021.

The late senior officer was said to have completed his tour of the North-east and was about moving to the next assignment in the North-central before his vehicle encountered landmines along with six soldiers, who died instantly.

In his tribute, the elder brother to the deceased, Shehu Jafiya, said the deceased officer had told his family his mission was accomplished not knowing he was talking about his mission on earth.

He said the late senior officer would be happy in heaven if the insurgency war, and ethnic agitations were brought to an end with the enthronement of a united Nigeria.

He said the blast occurred on May 30, 2021 and Sankara was flown into Abuja on June 4, 2021.

He said “Sojaman” as he was fondly called in the family finally died on July 1, 2021.

Recalling his last moments with Sankara he explained that “After the blast in Borno State around Dikwa and Marte. He was first flown in an helicopter to Maiduguri where he was stabilised at the military facility, then they moved him to Cedar Crest Hospital in Abuja.”

He said: “I was at the airport to receive him and we had very extensive discussions not only one day but progressively over a week. He kept assuring us that we should not cry or be too worried that he was going to be fine.

“We didn’t know he just wanted to console us by saying we should not be too worried and not cry for him. My last moments with him were indeed emotional and painful to us.”

He said Sankara told his family his mission was accomplished.

“We thought he was referring to the mission in Borno. He was being very prophetic; so, we didn’t understand him then. He was very, very committed to his family. I mean both his wife, children and we, the brothers.

“He was easy going and he had a very deep passion for the military job. He was so proud of it and that was why in the house we christened him “sojaman”, he said.

“One other thing he always he treasured was his love for this nation. Whenever we sat to discuss, you will hear him say that he will do anything for this country, Nigeria.

“All these why we didn’t understand what he was talking about. That doing everything, he was ready to die for this country and it eventually manifested. So, it happened eventually; so. that is it”, he said.

Reading his citation at the grave yard, Col Adebayo Lawal, described him as an “articulate, dedicated, loyal and hard-working officer.

“He was calm, firm but fair with a good sense of purpose and responsibility; he was a forthright gentleman and a professional intelligence officer, who was genuinely committed to his duty”.

He said the late senior officer was of the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps, who rose to the rank of colonel on September 3, 2020.

Before his demise, he was the theater psychological operator at the Theater Command Operation Hadin Kai.

He said the demise was a loss to the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps, the Nigerian Army and the nation at large.