President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the death of Nigeria’s former Chief of Army Staff, retired Gen. Inuwa Wushishi.
This is contained in a condolence message by his media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, on Sunday in Abuja.
Buhari described the death as the sad loss of “a thoroughbred professional soldier, an officer and a gentleman whose contributions to the fatherland are immeasurable.”
The President said: “Gen. Wushishi had a distinguished military career and we are proud of his impressive service to the country.
“Gen. Wushishi was an epitome of discipline and dedication to service, and he was a role model for both the officers and the rank and file.”
Buhari extended his condolences to the family of the deceased, the Nigerian Army, as well as Government and people of Niger State.
Also, Minister of Defence, retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, described the death as a monumental loss to the nation’s Armed Forces in particular and the nation at large.
Magashi stated this in his condolence message, signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mohammad Abdulkadri, on Sunday in Abuja.
Wushishi, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff from 1981 to 1983, died in a London hospital on Saturday at the age of 81.
While condoling with the immediate and extended families of the late General, Magashi urged them to “take solace in the Almighty Allah who Giveth and Taketh at the appointed time and place”.
“The fact that he lived a fulfilled life in service to God, the country and humanity in general are enough consolations to return absolute thanks to Almighty Allah by saying Alhamdulilahi”.
He prayed to God to accept the return of Wushishi into AL Jannat Firdaus and also grant the family, his military constituency and the nation the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
Magashi said the late former Chief of Army Staff was a fine gentleman officer whose wise counsel, experience and expertise would be missed in the quest to end insecurity bedeviling parts of the country.
