Juliana Taiwo
24 May 2008
Abuja — President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua yesterday promised the families of the officer and 45 soldiers who lost their lives on Wednesday along the Kari-Potiskum-Maiduguri Road in Bauchi State that he would mitigate the harsh effects of their death on them.
The officer and soldiers were returning home to join their families and unit in Monguno, Borno State after serving for six months in the African Union (AU) Hybrid Force in Darfur, Sudan.
The president, who cut short his trip to Arusha, Tanzania, to participate in their burial yesterday, described the accident that claimed the lives of the soldiers as "a tragedy of enormous proportion."
The president said: "This is indeed a tragedy of enormous proportions. It is made more heart rendering by the fact that these were courageous heroic soldiers who had just acquitted themselves commendably in their tour of duty in the challenging terrain of Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region.
"To return home and end in this way is a calamity that Nigeria, the military establishment and in a special sense, their families will find difficult to live with. However, we can find solace in the knowledge that they have paid the supreme price and sacrifice in gallant service not only to our fatherland but in the course of international peace and security and in the service of humanity.
"We have an obligation to ensure that their sacrifice is not in vain by recommitting to successfully driving peace efforts in the Sudan and other troubled spots on our continent and beyond. My heart goes out to all the aggrieved families to these fallen heroes. I pray that the Almighty God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss to deal with the unfortunate passing of their loved ones.
"I pledge that the Federal Government will do all that is necessary to mitigate the adverse effect of the demise of these gallant Nigerians on their families and their dependants.
"As we bid our departed patriots a final farewell, let us all pray that our nation will never again be visited by a calamity of this proportion. May God in His infinite mercy give them final eternal rest in His own bosom and in His very presence," he said.
In his remark, the Minister Defence, Yayale Ahmed, gave assurances that despite the deaths, the military is more than ready to render service to the country and the international community.
"When we were informed of the deaths, we were shocked beyond words. Indeed for me personally, throughout my career as a public servant, I have never been so shocked with the news of death than this moment.
"We were informed that these officers came back gallantly and with deepest sense of patriotism to continue serving their nation. God who created them, loves them most, therefore their time came for them to be nearer to Him.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Owoeye Azazi, also promised that everything will be done henceforth to motivate military personnel while alive and that those who lose their lives in the course of serving their nation, their families will be well catered for.
Azazi said: "This death is tragic for Nigerians and Nigeria. So many of us are affected by this tragedy and we are indeed in deep grief. The Holy Book tells us that there is time for everything. So, we take solace in the fact that there is a time for dying. This time of dying no one knows and could indeed be anytime for any us.
"For soldiers the risk of dying becomes apparent when military operations are being conducted. These soldiers lying here today were exposed to such risk for six months in Darfur, but they all survived it. They returned to Nigeria safely and on the way to join their units. Just before their death, those Nigerians who had seen the convoy, saw that these soldiers were in very high spirits, singing, clapping and dancing. Obviously, they were happy to be back home."
Names of the Officer and Soldiers are:
Captain Albert Okojie, WO Patrick Ogbudu, CPL Sini Jaduwa, CPL Ali Ibrahim, CPL Michael Andache, CPL Golmang Kassem, CPL Hashimu Ibrahim, CPL Ahmed Mohammed, CPL Aba Tijjani, CPL Alhassan Salisu, CPL Tukur Abdulkadir, CPL Ta'u Mohammed, LCPL Bitrus Goni, LCPL Zingur Mallam, LCPL Garba Saidu, LCPL Hamidu Ibrahim, LCPL Alamu Wasiu, LCPL Sani Abdullahi, LCPL Hamza Garba, LCPL Bala Mohammed, LCPL Ahmed Sulieman, LCPL Sabo Isah, LCPL Chindu Salisu, LCPL Saleh Ahmad, LCPL Audu Mamman, LCPL Shehu Mohammed, LCPL Shehu Umar, LCPL Salisu Rabiu, LCPL Tanko Madaki, Trooper Sanga Joseph, Trooper Bassey Egbala, Trooper Dauda Saadu, Trooper Aduo Freeman, Trooper Sanusi Bello, Trooper Adamu Jeje, Trooper Usman Umaru, Trooper Abdullahi Dauda, Trooper Moses Orimogunje, Trooper Idris Shaibu, Trooper Mutala Garba, Trooper Richard Zittee, Trooper Kabiru Yaro, Trooper Olowu Abolade, Trooper Peter Ije, Trooper Akande Oluwagbemi, Trooper Bitrus Yusuf.
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