Brigadier General Dzarma Zurkusu, who was killed by Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists, was on Friday buried at the military cemetery in Yola, Adamawa State.
Also laid to rest were remains of seven other soldiers killed alongside Brigadier General Zurkusu on November 13, 2021.
Their names were given thus: Major Luka Barde, aged 47; Lt. Usman Abubakar Usman, Aged 29; Private Salihu Mohammed aged 23; Private Danyaro Umar, aged 28; Simon Solomon, aged 23; Abubakar Yusuf, aged 25; and Private Oladejo Victor.
Zurkusu and the seven were said to have been ambushed and killed by ISWAP in Askira Uba in Borno State.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the burial.
The Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who served as the Chief mourner had declared a three-day mourning across the state.
Fintiri announced the donation of N27million to the families of the departed officers and soldiers.
“N10million was given to the family of Brig Gen Zurkusu, while N17million is to be shared among the families of the seven other soldiers,” a source told SaharaReporters.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, led the funeral, saying, “as the Nigerian Army, we will continue to give the families of the departed support, including sponsorship to school.”
Meanwhile family members insisted that the slain officer was betrayed by sympathisers within the Nigerian Army.
Zurkusu was born on September 23, 1971 at Garaha and hails from Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Late Brigadier General Zurkusu was granted regular combatant commission as a member of 43 regular course on September 21, 1996 in the rank of Second Lieutenant.
He was of the infantry corps and rose to the rank of Brigadier General on September 9, 2020.
He was serving as the commander 28 Task force Brigade at Chibok in Borno state before his demise on November 13, 2021 while in combat with Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists.
