Obasanjo’s Chief of Staff, Abdullahi Mohammed, dies at 86

Retired Major General Abdullahi Mohammed, a former Chief of Staff to ex-Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, has passed away at the age of 86.

Mohammed, who hailed from Ilorin, Kwara State, reportedly died at about 1 a.m. on Wednesday in Abuja.

His death was confirmed by family sources in Ilorin, who described it as a great loss to the Ilorin Emirate, Nigeria, and the military community.

Born in 1939, Mohammed trained at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, United Kingdom, and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army in 1958.

He rose through the ranks to become Director of Military Intelligence and played a key role in the 1975 coup that ousted General Yakubu Gowon and brought General Murtala Mohammed to power.

Following the coup, he was appointed Governor of the former Benue-Plateau State from July 1975 to March 1976.

He later served as Director-General of the National Security Organisation (NSO)—the precursor to today’s Department of State Services (DSS)—under General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military regime until 1979.

After retiring from the military, Mohammed founded and managed Atoto Press Limited, a prominent printing company based in Ilorin.

He returned to public service in 1998 as National Security Adviser to then Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and played a key role in Nigeria’s transition to democracy.

In 1999, he was appointed Chief of Staff to President Olusegun Obasanjo and continued in that position under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua until his resignation in 2008.

Throughout his distinguished career, Mohammed was known as a disciplined officer, seasoned administrator, and influential figure in Nigeria’s political and security affairs.

The Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) described his death as a monumental loss to the Ilorin community and the nation.

In a condolence statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Nurudeen Ibrahim, on behalf of the National President, Alhaji Abdulmumini Abdullahi, the union said Mohammed’s passing came “at a time the nation needs the wisdom of tested patriots to navigate its challenges.”

The IEDPU praised him for breaking barriers, noting that he was the first Ilorin indigene to serve as a state governor and to attain the rank of Major General in the Nigerian Army.

“General Mohammed played critical roles in Nigeria’s history. He was a patriot who fought to keep the country united and served as National Security Adviser and the first, longest-serving Chief of Staff to the President,” the statement read.

The union also recalled his years of support for community development, including sponsoring the printing of the IEDPU’s annual calendar.

The group extended condolences to President Bola Tinubu, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Abdulsalami Abubakar, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.

It prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive the late General’s shortcomings, grant him eternal rest, and give his family the strength to bear the loss.