Tinubu mourns ex-NSO DG, former presidential Chief of Staff Abdullahi Mohammed

President Bola Tinubu has mourned the passing of Major General Abdullahi Mohammed (retd.), a towering figure in Nigeria’s security and political establishment and former Chief of Staff to Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who died in Abuja at the age of 86.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the late Mohammed as a disciplined, loyal and patriotic officer who made “indelible contributions” to the nation’s security architecture and governance.

“General Mohammed left lasting marks in the establishment of the National Security Organisation, the precursor to the State Security Service, National Intelligence Agency, and Defence Intelligence Agency,” Tinubu said.

He hailed Mohammed’s humility, efficiency and sense of duty, noting that his leadership as Chief of Staff helped shape the modern workings of the Nigerian Presidency.

“He was a man of exemplary character who combined the precision of a soldier with the prudence of a statesman. His years in the State House were marked by devotion to the Nigerian project,” Tinubu added.

A Key Operator in Nigeria’s Security Evolution

Born in 1939 in Ilorin, Kwara State, Mohammed trained at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army in 1958. Rising through the ranks, he became Director of Military Intelligence and played a key role in the 1975 coup that removed General Yakubu Gowon and brought General Murtala Mohammed to power.

He later served as Governor of the former Benue-Plateau State (1975–1976), and was appointed the pioneer Director-General of the National Security Organisation (NSO), the institution from which today’s DSS and NIA evolved.

Mohammed retired from the military in 1979 and moved into private business, heading Atoto Press Limited in Ilorin.

However, in 1998, he was recalled to national duty as National Security Adviser to General Abdulsalami Abubakar, where he helped manage the transition to civilian rule in 1999. At the start of the Fourth Republic, he became Chief of Staff to President Obasanjo, retaining the role under President Yar’Adua until his resignation in June 2008.

He was widely regarded as a discreet but highly influential power broker in national security and statecraft.

Ilorin Emirate mourns ‘a monumental loss’

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

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Nurudeen Ibrahim, the union noted that Mohammed was the first son of Ilorin to govern a state and the first to attain the rank of a two-star General.

“He played pivotal roles at crucial moments in Nigeria’s history – as a soldier who fought to keep Nigeria united, as the pioneer NSO DG, and as the longest-serving Chief of Staff to the President,” the statement said.

The union also recalled his personal support for community development initiatives, including financing the annual printing of its calendar for many years.

Condolences Pour In

Condolences have been extended to President Tinubu, former Presidents Obasanjo and Abdulsalami Abubakar, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, and the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.

Tinubu prayed that Allah forgive the deceased’s shortcomings and grant him Aljanah Firdaus, while also asking for comfort for his family and the Ilorin community.