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Despite Being A Muslim, Nigerian Army Hasn’t Buried My Husband 3 Weeks After His Death – Widow Of Soldier Killed By Boko Haram

February 22, 2021

Khadijat told SaharaReporters she got to know about her husband’s death on social media, adding that the Nigerian Army did not inform his family.

Khadijat Mohammed, wife of Abdullahi Bhuwa Usman, a soldier who was killed by Boko Haram terrorists, has urged the army authorities to bury her husband and ‘allow him rest in peace.’

SaharaReporters gathered that Usman, who recently got married to Khadijat, was among the soldiers killed on January 29 when the insurgents engaged the Nigerian military in a four-hour battle to take control of Dikwa.

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The attack happened a few hours after Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai handed over to Major General Ibrahim Attahiru as the Chief of Army Staff.

The gun battle started around 6:00 pm and lasted till about 10:00 pm. It claimed many casualties, including Usman’s.

A family source had told SaharaReporters that the deceased got married in December 2020 and was looking forward to raising a family when the tragic incident occurred.

“I received the news of Usman's death with deep shock. He just got married on December 27, 2020. I attended the wedding here in Lagos,” the source had said.

"Though he wasn't in attendance physically (at the wedding) because he was on duty, his family members and friends were all here and left with the wife for Borno State that same day.”

Khadijat told SaharaReporters she got to know about her husband’s death on social media, adding that the Nigerian Army did not inform his family.[story_link align="left"]89673[/story_link]

She alleged that the army authorities said her husband would not be buried until some senior officers who travelled to Abuja returned to Borno State.

“He was posted from Ilorin, Kwara State to Borno for a special assignment. Till now, his burial has not been done because they said some senior army officers are in Abuja, they are waiting for their return. Imagine, he was a Muslim.

“When we first heard about his death, we went to the army’s mortuary to check if we would see his dead body but they got angry. A senior officer asked me who told us that he was dead. They didn’t allow me to see him, they only allowed his father and his brother (to see him); they claimed his wife could not see him. They said I would be able to see him at the time he would be buried. They were very angry that we got to know about his death. 

“Then they said they would not bury him until their seniors come back from Abuja. That’s how bad they treat civilians. Imagine, they didn’t pay any condolence visit to the family, they promised to come but they have not come till now. All they were after was ‘who told us about his death’.

“I wish to appeal to the Nigerian Army authorities to bury my husband; he was a Muslim. In Islam, this is not acceptable. I just want them to bury my husband, let them allow him to Rest In Peace. I don’t know what’s delaying his burial, they should allow him to rest.”