The Lt.Col was the commanding officer of 272 Task Force Tank Battalion until his death alongside some soldiers under his command following an ambush by Boko Haram fighters.
Governor Kashim Shettima took part in the funeral of the late soldier which held on Monday, November 7, 2016 at the National Cemetery in Abuja. The late Ali was killed on Friday, November 4, 2016.
Twelve days after attending the funeral, Governor Shettima visited the family residence of the late Abu Ali at unguwar Sarki in Kaduna during which he met with the commander’s widow, his three children and surviving mother, spokesman Isa Gusau said in a statement he emailed to journalists from Kaduna on Saturday.
Governor Shettima presented a Zenith Bank cheque of N10m issued in the name of the widow with an instruction that N2m is meant for the widow, N2m for the mother of the fallen officer while each of the three children is to get N2m to be kept in accounts that should be opened for the children.
“The late Lt. Col. Muhammad Abu Ali gave Borno everything. He worked hard in leading troops to recover many communities and at the end he paid the supreme price by giving his life for us. The least we can do to him as Government and people of Borno state is to not only pray for the repose of his soul but also to support those who depended on him for their livelihood.
“I am concerned about his immediate family that includes his three children, his widow and his mother. This money cannot replace his life. No amount can replace human life. We only want to support his family in the ways we can as humans. Please let us know if you need any more help. We will stand by this family and the families of our fallen heroes. I think one of the things that should console this family is the legacy the commanding officer has left behind.
“May Allah admit him and all those that died for Borno and this country, into paradise. Please accept our sympathy, we share your emotions and all Nigerians share this irreparable loss. It is a big loss for us in Borno because the late officer was doing us a great service that we miss” Shettima was quoted to have said while speaking with the widow of late Ali who could be heard crying during the visit.
The Governor also interacted with the mother and children while special prayers were offered for the family by an Islamic scholar in the Governor’s entourage.
