Gen Oladipo Diya

Former Chief of General Staff (under the late Head  of State, Lt. General Sani Abacha), General Oladipo Diya, is dead. He was 79.

Diya’s death was announced in a statement by his son, Prince Oyesinmilola Diya, on Sunday morning.

He wrote: “On behalf of the entire Diya family home and abroad; We announce the passing on to Glory of our dear Husband,Father, Grandfather,brother, Lt- General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (Rtd) GCON, LLB, BL, PSC, FSS, mni.

Our dear Daddy passed onto glory in the early hours of 26th March 2023.
Please keep us in your prayers as we mourn his demise in this period. Further announcements will be made public in due course.

Barrister Prince Oyesinmilola Diya, on behalf of the family.”

Diya who was also Ogun Military Administrator was born on April 3, 1944. Diya joined the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna and fought during the Civil War.

He later attended the US Army School of Infantry, the Command and Staff College, Jaji (1980–1981) and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.

While serving in the military, Diya studied law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained an LLB degree before proceeding to Law School, where he was called to bar as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

He was arrested for allegedly planning a trumped-up coup to unseat Abacha. He was condemned to death by firing squad with men like Maj.-Gen Abdulkarim Adisa on April 28, 1998.

His life was saved by the sudden death of General Abacha on June 8, 1998.