Tukur Burutai Moans Father Amidst Tears

Alhaji Yusuf, the father of Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai who died in Maiduguri as announced by Brig Gen SK Usman, the spokesperson of the security organisation, has been buried amid tears.

The Nigerian army announced the incident in the morning of Friday, February 9, through a statement by Brig Gen SK Usman.

The statement said the elderly Buratai passed away in a hospital in Maiduguri, Borno state.

The terse statement read: "Good morning all, Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihirrajiun. This is to inform you of the passing away of the father of the Chief of Army Staff, Alhaji Yusuf Buratai this morning in Maiduguri."

Daily Trust reports that the late Yusuf Buratai had been hospitalized for days, but did not state the nature of his illness.

The source simply said the late Yusuf had a successful surgery at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UTMH) but died later.

The late Yusuf; a former military personnel, is said to be survived by 14 children, including the chief of army staff as well as many grandchildren.

In his last interview with Daily Trust, the late Yusuf Buratai said he joined the army when he was 18 and fought the Second World War in Burma.

“We joined a ship from Lagos to Cotonou, then to Cape Town in South Africa. From there we went to Mombasa, then to Bombay in India from where we joined a train to Lahore, from where we were posted to the field in the bush where we trained in preparation for the war in Burma.

“I fought for three years before I returned back home due to a fracture I sustained during football.

“A good number of my mates with whom I went to fight the second World War died during the Civil War. I remember a good friend of mine, Hassan Sarkin Noma, he was killed during that war.

“The world was changing very fast that time. I was in Kaduna when the Premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello, was killed.

“So many good soldiers were killed during the Civil War. People like Sergeant Majors Audu Maiha and Garba Bauchi were all killed then. These were brave men. But today, you hear of soldiers running away from war,” he said.

He revealed that he did not ask the COAS to join the army but that Tukur Buratai joined willingly.

“When he finished school here in Maiduguri, there was an advertisement urging young men to join the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). He applied and was successful, so he voluntarily joined the army.

“I warned him from day one to avoid alcohol and tobacco, also to be loyal to his superiors and constituted authority.

“I warned him to avoid any form of vice and I am grateful to God, he obeyed what I told him. It is God who has brought him to his current position. He is learned. He has even been to Bangladash for training. I’m so proud of him.

“On my part, me and all my mates who joined the army at the same time, none rose up the ranks to become an officer. We hadn’t gone to school then, so the highest rank we attained was Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM),” he added.

(Source: Naija.ng)