Former Head of Counter-Insurgency Operations Killed in Car Crash in Maiduguri

Former Head of Counter-Insurgency Operations Killed  in Car Crash in Maiduguri

The former head of the counter-insurgency operation in the North-east (Theatre Commander Operation Lafiya Dole), Major General Yusha'u Mahmood Abubakar, today died in a fatal auto crash along Maiduguri/Damaturu highway.

He was traveling from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, and was on his way to Damaturu.

It was learnt that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Muhammed Aliyu, was also involved in the auto crash but survived it with fatal injuries.

The cause of the accident was unclear at the time of filing this report.

However the injured GOC and his driver, including late Maj. Gen. Abubakar, were brought to the emergency ward of  the General Sani Abatcha Specialist Hospital accompanied by heavy military presence before they were conveyed back to Maiduguri to be flown to Abuja for proper medical attention.

According to a military source, the late army general traveled by flight from Abuja enroute Maiduguri International Airport and subsequently traveled by road with the intention of going to Buni Yadi, Yobe State, for the graduation of a special military force.

He was received at the airport by the GOC 3 Div Nigeria Army, Brig General Mohammed Sani Aliyu, where they embarked on the ill-fated journey to Damaturu.

It was learnt that they were involved in the accident around Benishiekh town, a distance of about 70 kilometres from Maiduguri.

Before the dead and the injured were convey from the hospital in Damaturu, many sympathizers visited the place which had present heavy security.

Among the early sympathizers at the hospital were Yobe State Deputy Governor, Abubakar Aliyu; the Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Baba Malam Wali; the state Police Commissioner, Zanna Muhammed Ibrahim, the Head of Service of Yobe State Civil Service, Dauda Yahaya.