General Babatunde Udiagbon
That was what General Babatunde Idiagbon told the King of Saudi in 1985 when he learnt a coup led by General Ibrahim Babangida had sacked General Buhari who was the then head of state then out of power.
As Buhari’s deputy, General Idiagbon was no- nonsense, never smiling solider and a disciplinarian that was the face of the administration and his Iconic (W.A.I), War Against Indiscipline programmme restored order to the system back then.
General Idiagbon learnt about the coup while performing the Hajji in Saudi Arabia in 1985. He was a guest of the king of Saudi then, who pleaded with the General to stay and that his family would be sent for and will join him in Saudi. General Babatunde Idiagbon refused and took the next flight back to Nigeria.
On getting to Nigeria, and he was placed under house arrest for three years, after his release he retired to his hometown Ilorin and lived a very quiet life until his death.
On 24 March 1999, Idiagbon died under very suspicious circumstance. He was 56 years old.
General Idiagbon was buried on Thursday, 25th March, 1999 at his No. 5, Aderemi Adeleye residence, GRA, Ilorin. Burial was swift. He was interred at about 12.00 noon. His wife was clad in black and she wept profusely. General Buhari could not hold back his tears.
When a journalist asked Buhari for a comment, he said: ‘I can’t say anything. What can I say?’
May General Idiagbon soul soul rest in peace
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