Lt. General Oladipo Diya, former Chief of General Staff to late President General Sani Abacha, has died.
On Sunday morning, his son, Prince Oyesinmilola Diya, issued a statement announcing his father’s death.
Exact statements read: “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.”
Diya’s brief life history
On April 3, 1944, the former Ogun Military Administrator was born.
Diya enlisted in the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna and served in the Civil War.
Later, he attended the United States Army School of Infantry, the Command and Staff College in Jaji (1980-1981), and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru.
While serving in the military, Diya studied law at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, where he earned an LLB before going on to Law School, where he was admitted to the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Solicitor and Advocate.
He was arrested on suspicion of plotting a sham coup to depose Abacha.
On April 28, 1998, he was sentenced to death by firing squad alongside men like Maj.-Gen Abdulkarim Adisa.