Pictures Reveal Army As “Star Guest”At Burial Of Ex- Nation’s No 2 Man, Diya

The interment of former Nigerian number two man, Oladipo Diya held on Saturday July, 29, 2023.

It was done at his residence,Tanimola Villa Odogbolu, Ogun.

The event came after a wake-keep that was done at the same place on Friday, July 28, 2023 and

a funeral service conducted earlier on Saturday, July 29, 2023.

Pictures released by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation show the role played by the army at final day

of the burial ceremony- despite how Diya left the elite force as a top ranking officer.

Diya who died on March 26, 2023 at the age of 78 was a Lt General (rtd) of the Nigerian Army.

He was Chief of General Staff in the military administration of General Sanni Abacha – November 17, 1993 to December 21, 1997.

The development made him the nation’s number two at the time.

An alleged coup plot, however, saw him fall from grace, imprisoned and sentenced to death by the military government of Abacha that he was a part of.

Abacha refused all entreaties to rescind the death sentence but fate gave Diya a new lease of life with the “sudden death” of Abacha on June 8, 1998.

The Interim National Government that took over after Abacha’s death headed by AbdulSalam Abubakar rescinded the death sentence on Diya

and released him from prison with the stringent conditions of stripping his rank,

discharging him from the Army and barring him from using his military title.

AbdulSalam Abubakar was ,however, present on Saturday, July 29, 2023 when the Army gave Diya military honors on the final day of his burial.