Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Ali, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Rukuba, near Jos, was born in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State and not in Bassa Local government area of Plateau, the Army has said.
Maj. Eli Lazarus, the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, in the division, said this in a statement on Friday, in Jos, in reaction to malicious reports claiming that he was born in Miango chiefdom of Bassa, in Plateau.
Lazarus also refuted the claim that Ali, who is also the Commander of the Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) lived with his uncle, Ja’afaru in Miango and that he attended Command secondary school, Jos.
The reports had also alleged that Ali was deployed to head the two commands, to ensure that all the people of Miango chiefdom were wiped out.
But Lazarus denied the allegation, explaining that Ali was born and bred in Kano by his biological parents, and that he had his early education in the state.
“Maj.-Gen Ibrahim Ali was born in Nassarawa, Kano Municipal Council of Kano State, and not Zogu village of Rigwe Land of Bassa in Plateau.
“He is the son of Late Alhaji Sallau Ali, and not the son of the younger brother, Ja’afaru Isa, the former Ardo of Miango.
“He attended Lebanon Primary School Kano in 1974 and proceeded to Saint Thomas Secondary School, Kano in 1980.
“Ali attended the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, and completed his cadet training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, United Kingdom.
“He also attended several military courses and served in different theaters of Operation, within and outside the country. He survived gunshot wounds sustained in two separate operations in the past.
”Ali is on a mission to weed out criminals on the Plateau and not on a mission to support any tribe or religion,” Lazarus said in the statement.
The spokesman called on the public to disregard any reports aimed at tarnishing the good image of the senior military officer.
He also urged residents of Plateau to be law abiding and support the security agencies with credible information that would help to curb criminality in the state. (NAN)
