• Lt-Gen DO Diya

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Former Chief of General Staff (CDS) in General Sani Abacha’s military junta, Lt-General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (rtd) is dead. He died in the early hours of today, March 26.

His death was confirmed by his son, Prince Oyesinmilola Diya who affirmed that the former military administrator of Ogun State passed on to glory in the early hours of today,  26th March 2023.

Born on the 3rd of April, 1944, Diya was military Governor of Ogun State after the Buhari-Idiagbon coup of December 31, 1983.

Diya joined the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna and fought during the Nigerian Civil War.

He later attended the US Army School of Infantry, the Command and Staff College, Jaji (1980–1981) and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.

While serving in the military, Diya studied law at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained an LLB degree, and then at the Nigerian Law School, where he was called to bar as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

He held other top military posts like GOC, 82 Division and finally the Chief of General Staff (military Vice President) to Gen Sani Abacha.

The statement reads:

 “On behalf of the entire Diya family home and abroad; We announce the passing on to Glory of our dear Husband,Father, Grandfather,brother, Lt- General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (Rtd) GCON, LLB, BL, PSC, FSS, mni.

“Our dear Daddy passed onto glory in the early hours of today, 26th March 2023. Please keep us in your prayers as we mourn his demise in this period. Further announcements will be made public in due course.

 “Barrister Prince Oyesinmilola Diya, on behalf of the family.”/SHARE THIS

…As FEC mourns

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has mourned the death of former number two man under the Sani Abacha military regime, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya, who passed on at 78 on Sunday morning.

In a statement on Sunday by the Director of Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Willie Bassey, FEC described Diya as a seasoned military officer with admirable administrative capabilities, which he manifested in the various roles he acted on behalf of the Nigerian government.

“The Secretary to the Government of the Federation,Boss Mustapha, CFR, on behalf of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), has received with shock the death of the former Chief of General Staff, Lt. General Oladipo Diya (rtd), which sad event occurred on Sunday, 26th March, 2023 .

“Lt. General Diya (rtd) served as the Chief of General Staff to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha.

“SGF describes General Diya as a seasoned military officer with admirable administrative capabilities in his various functions as the Military Governor of Ogun State (1984 – 1985), Chief of Defence Staff, and the Chief of General Staff (1993 – 1997); as well as a notable statesman who made invaluable contributions to nation-building.

“FEC condoles with the government and people of Ogun State, his family and friends, and prays to God to grant the soul of the deceased eternal rest,” the statement reads.

15 things to know

Lt- General Oladipo Diya (rtd), GCON, a former Chief of General Staff (CGS) died on Sunday.

He died at 78, according to a statement on behalf of the family by Barrister Prince Oyesinmilola Diya.

Donaldson Oladipo Diya was born on April 3, 1944 at Odogbolu, Ogun State, then Western Region, Nigeria.

He was a Nigerian general who served as Chief of the General Staff, (de facto Vice President of Nigeria) under military Head of State General Sani Abacha from 1994 until his arrest for treason in 1997. His Principal Staff Officer during this period was Bode George.

He previously served as Chief of Defence Staff and was Military Governor of Ogun State from January 1985 to August 1985.

He was educated at the Methodist Primary School, Lagos, and the Odogbolu Grammar School.

He later attended the US Army School of Infantry, the Command and Staff College, Jaji (1980–1981) and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.

While serving in the military, Diya studied law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained an LLB degree before proceeding to Law School, where he was called to bar as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

He became General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Nigeria Army in 1985.

General Diya was Commandant, National War College (1991–1993) and then was appointed Chief of Defence Staff.

In 1993, he was appointed Chief of General Staff and Vice Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council in 1994.

As Chief of the General Staff, he was de facto Vice President of Nigeria during the Sani Abacha military junta from 1994 until he was arrested for treason in 1997.

In 1997 Diya and dissident soldiers in the military allegedly planned to overthrow the regime of Sani Abacha. The alleged coup was uncovered by forces loyal to Abacha, and Diya and his cohorts were jailed. Diya was tried in a military tribunal and was given the death penalty. Upon the untimely death of Abacha in 1998, Diya was pardoned by General Abdusalami Abubakar.

After his arrest, a military tribunal sitting in the Nigerian town of Jos sentenced six people including Lieutenant General Oladipo Diya to death by firing squad in April 1998. The accused were brought to the main military barracks in Jos for the trial. Security was tight, and the men on trial were chained at their ankles during the proceedings. In a dramatic statement at the outset of the trial, General Diya asserted that he had been entrapped by another officer close to General Abacha, Gen. Musa Bamaiyi, who approached him with the idea of mounting a coup. Given the explosive nature of the charge, the government then closed the trial to the public.

The head of the military tribunal, General Victor Malu, the former commander of the West African regional peacekeeping force, ECOMOG, responding to Lieutenant General Diya’s defence that people at the very top framed him, said it was not necessary to know who had initiated the conspiracy. He noted that all Lieutenant General Diya had to do was prove that he had not been part of the plot at any stage. General Malu assured the defendants that they would be given a fair trial and unlimited access to information they needed to defend themselves. “This tribunal will not conduct or tolerate a trial by ambush”, he said.

The sentence was later commuted by Head of State, Abdusalami Abubakar, who succeeded General Abacha./SHARE THIS

• Tags: Oyesinmilola Diya, Boss Mustapha

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