SAN FRANCISCO, November 06, (THEWILL) – The Boko Haram insurgents have killed a commander in the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Muhammad Abu Ali, the Commanding Officer of 272 Task Force Tank Battalion, and four other soldiers during a shoot-out in Borno State.
It is interesting to know that Muhammed Abu Ali is the son of Colonel Abu Ali, who was governor of Bauchi state from August 1990 to January 1992 during the military regime of Ibrahim Babangida.
The loss of Ali was a big blow to the Nigerian Army as he has been described as one of the finest and most courageous officer currently deployed against Boko Haram.
Ali’s exceptional bravery and gallantry earned him an accelerated promotion from the rank of major to lieutenant colonel and was personally decorated by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai at Gamboru Ngala on September 9, 2015 during an operational visit.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, in a statement, revealed that Ali’s death occurred when the insurgents attacked the 119 Battalion’s location at Mallam Fatori, Borno State.
“Yesterday at about 10.00pm suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked a 119 Battalion Nigerian Army location at Mallam Fatori, northern Borno State,” he said.
“The troops fought gallantly and repelled the attack, killing 14 Boko Haram terrorists.
“Unfortunately, we lost an officer and four soldiers, while four other soldiers sustained various degrees of injuries during the encounter.
“One of those killed in action, was Lt. Col. Muhammad Abu Ali, the Commanding Officer of 272 Task Force Tank Battalion.
“It will be recalled that because of the late senior officer’s exceptional bravery and gallantry, he was given an accelerated promotion from the rank of major to lieutenant colonel and was decorated by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, at Gamboru Ngala, on September 9, 2015 during an operational visit.”
His colleagues recalled the gallant role he played in the recapture of Baga from insurgents insisting he was also a key part of the capture of Gamboru-Ngala.
“He led us with the T-72 when we advanced on Monguno and Baga, and he collected those places.”
“In the case Baga, when it was recaptured from Boko Haram, Ali, a major at the time, told the soldiers that they should not worry, that they should only do five percent of the job, that he was going to do 95% of the job with the tanks.
“And that was exactly what happened. He did most of the work with the tanks. He was a major at that time and his promotion after the operation was automatic because he performed very well. One smallish guy like that o.
“After they recaptured Baga, the soldiers were so happy that they raised him up, telling the president to elevate him to the status of colonel, not even lieutenant-colonel, because he really performed; he tried. Even recent operations in Sambisa Forest, he led some of them.
“He is a brilliant fighter. When he began hanging his promotion emblem officially on September 9, we were together on that day and we were all very happy for him.”
“The man is very active; very active. And he is a very calm and intelligent person. He doesn’t brag, he knows his job and he is very simple,” his colleagues said of him.
Story by Oputah David
