GENERAL Sidi Ali who helped to foil Gideon Orka’s coup against IBB dies

General Sidi Ali (Rtd) who played a major role in foiling Nigerian bloodiest coup masterminded by Major Gideon Orka against President Ibrahim Babangida is dead.

His brother, Munzali Jibrin, a Professor of Political Science at Bayero University, Kano, announced Mr Ali’s death Friday morning. He said he died at his residence in the Hotoro area of Kano, Nigeria’s North-west.

“The death has occurred of our brother and friend Brigadier-General Muhammad Ali Sidi Fagge (Sidi Ali) early this morning after a period of illness at his Hotoro residence. He has since been buried, Mr Jibrin said in a statement.

He said as the most senior officer in the Villa during the Orkar attempted coup, the late officer found himself coordinating the resistance which eventually led to the collapse of the coup.

Dodan Barracks, located in Ikoyi, Lagos, was the seat of power in Nigeria at the time.

Mr Ali was a graduate of Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, who joined the Nigerian Army in the 1970s and was deployed to the Ordnance Corps, which is in charge of storing weapons of all descriptions.

He rose to the rank of a one-star General before retiring,

“He never received adequate compensation from the regime he helped to save, but typical of him, he never complained,” Mr Jibrin lamented.

“May Allah forgive him his sins and give us the fortitude to accept his recall by his Maker. May we all be re-assembled in Aljannah.”

The failed coup led by Mr Orkar, a Major, attempted to overthrow the government of Ibrahim Babangida.

The coup attempt was said to be the bloodiest in Nigeria’s history.

Mr Orkar and 41 other plotters were captured by government troops and subsequently, convicted for treason.

On 27 July 1990, they were executed by firing squad.