The Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Salihi Magashi (retd), has described the death of the former Chief of General Staff, Lt.-General Donaldson Oladipo Diya (retd) as a monumental loss to the military and the nation at large.
According to a statement by media aide to the minister Mohammad Abdulkadri on Sunday, Magashi stated this in a condolence message mourning Diya who died at the age of 79.
He condoled President Muhammadu Buhari, the people of Ogun state, late Diya’s Family, friends and associates in Nigeria and the Diaspora.
Magashi said ” The Military Constituency has lost one of its finest and best retired Senior Officers at a time when his wisdom and wealth of experience are much needed most”.
The Defence Minister who served as member of the Provisional Ruling Council when the late Diya was the Vice President of the highest Military Governing Council under the regime of the Late Military Head of state, General Sani Abacha, described his contributions to national development as indelible.
While recalling that his paths crossed with the Late Lt General Diya in several ways while in the military, said they were both alumnus of the faculty of Law Ahmadu Bello University Zaria where they bagged LLB.
The minister prayed to God for the repose of the soul of the deceased whom he said, will be missed greatly as a great nationalist who dedicated his life to serving the nation.
He also prayed God to grant his family and the nation fortitude to bear the irreparable and irreplaceable loss of a patriotic Nigerian who served diligently and fearlessly in defending the national territorial integrity in peace and war times.
Diya served Nigeria diligently, fearlessly – Defence minister
