Major General Abdullahi Mohammed (retired), who served as chief of staff to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, has died at the age of 86.
He passed away around 1 a.m. on Wednesday in Abuja, with family members confirming the news from Ilorin.
His death is being mourned as a significant loss for the Ilorin Emirate, the nation, and the military community.
Born in 1939 in Ilorin, Kwara State, General Mohammed attended the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, UK, and joined the Nigerian Army in 1958.
He rose through the ranks to become the Director of Military Intelligence and played a key role in the 1975 coup that removed General Yakubu Gowon, paving the way for General Murtala Mohammed’s leadership.
Following the coup, he served as the governor of Benue-Plateau State from July 1975 to March 1976.
During General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military rule, he became the Director-General of the National Security Organisation (NSO), which later transformed into the Department of State Services (DSS), a position he held until 1979.
After retiring that year, he transitioned to the private sector, becoming the Managing Director of Atoto Press Limited, a well-known printing company in Ilorin.
In 1998, General Mohammed returned to public service as National Security Adviser to General Abdulsalami Abubakar, serving until the shift to civilian governance in 1999.
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He was appointed Chief of Staff to President Olusegun Obasanjo at the beginning of the Fourth Republic and continued in that role under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua until his resignation in June 2008.
Throughout his career, he was recognized as a disciplined officer, a significant administrator, and a prominent figure in Nigeria’s political and security landscape.
The Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) expressed profound sadness over his passing, describing it as a monumental loss for both the Ilorin Emirate and Nigeria.
In a statement from the union’s National Publicity Secretary, Nurudeen Ibrahim, they emphasized that his death is especially painful at a time when the nation needs the wisdom of experienced patriots to tackle its challenges.
The IEDPU highlighted General Mohammed’s groundbreaking achievements, noting that he was the first son of Ilorin to serve as a state governor and the first to achieve the rank of two-star general.
They commended his vital contributions to Nigeria’s history and his commitment to national unity.
