Chris Alli

{{Short description|Nigerian soldier and army chief (1944–2023)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Mohammed Chris Alli

| honorific_prefix = Major General

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| office = Chief of Army Staff

| term_start = November 1993

| term_end = August 1994

| predecessor = Aliyu Mohammed Gusau

| successor = Alwali Kazir

| office1 = Governor of Plateau State

| term_start1 = 18 May 2004

| term_end1 = 18 November 2004
{{small|as Administrator of Plateau State}}

| predecessor1 = Joshua Dariye {{small|(as governor)}}

| successor1 = Joshua Dariye {{small|(as governor)}}

| term_start2 = August 1985

| term_end2 = 1986

| predecessor2 = Samuel Atukum

| successor2 = Lawrence Onoja

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1944|12|25|df=y}}

| birth_place = Koton-Karfe, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now in Kogi State, Nigeria)

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|11|19|1944|12|25|df=y}}

| death_place = Lagos, Nigeria

| party =

| education =

| nationality = Nigerian

| allegiance = {{flag |Nigeria}}

| branch = 28px Nigerian Army

| serviceyears = 1967–1994

| rank = 20px Major General

| commands = Commander, 3rd Infantry Brigade, Kano

}}

Mohammed Chris Alli (25 December 1944 – 19 November 2023) was a Nigerian Army major general who served as Chief of Army Staff from 1993 to 1994 under General Sani Abacha's regime and was military governor of Plateau State Nigeria from August 1985 to 1986 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. Many years later, he was appointed interim administrator of the state during a 2004 crisis in the state following ethno-religious killings in Shendam, Yelwa Local Government.{{cite web

|url=http://rulers.org/nigastat.html

|title=Nigeria: States

|publisher=Rulers.org

|accessdate=2010-04-04}}{{cite web

|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200405190314.html

|title=Chris Alli, the Man, the General

|work=ThisDay

|author=Lanre Isa-Onilu

|date=19 May 2004

|accessdate=2010-04-04}}

Military career

On 13 February 1976, army coup plotters assassinated the then head of state, General Murtala Mohammed. Alli was investigated for involvement in the coup attempt, but was exonerated.{{cite book

|page=214

|title=Oil, politics and violence: Nigeria's military coup culture (1966-1976)

|author=Max Siollun

|publisher=Algora Publishing

|year=2009

|ISBN=0-87586-708-1}}

General Ibrahim Babangida appointed Alli military governor of Plateau State from August 1985 to 1986.

During the attempted coup against General Ibrahim Babangida by Major Gideon Orkar on 22 April 1990, Colonel Alli was commander of the 3rd Infantry Brigade in Kano. He instructed several army commanders to make counter-broadcasts, as he did himself. The attempted coup failed.{{cite web

|url=http://www.dawodu.com/omoigui8.htm

|title=The Orkar Coup of April 22, 1990

|work=Dawodu

|author=Nowa Omoigui

|accessdate=2010-04-04}}

After the coup in November 1993, when President Ernest Shonekan was ousted by General Sani Abacha, Alli was appointed Chief of the Army Staff.{{cite web

|url=http://www.dawodu.com/omoigui20.htm

|title=Nigeria: The Palace Coup of November 17, 1993 Part 1

|work=Dawodu

|author=Nowa Omoigui

|accessdate=2010-04-04}}

Abacha dismissed him from this post in August 1994.

Later career

In May 2004, Plateau state erupted in sectarian violence, which spilled over to Kano State.{{cite web

|url=http://www.dawodu.com/jega1.htm

|title=A Nation in Crisis

|author=Mahmud Jega

|work=Weekly Trust

|date=22 October 2006

|accessdate=2010-04-04}}

It was reported that over 50,000 people had died.{{cite web

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3724218.stm

|date=7 October 2004

|title=Nigerian clashes: '50,000 killed'

|work=BBC News

|accessdate=2010-04-04}}

President Olusegun Obasanjo declared emergency rule in the state and suspended Governor Joshua Dariye and the state assembly, appointing Alli as administrator.

Alli quickly developed the Plateau Peace Program, involving dialog between religious, ethnic and community leaders, and a statewide peace conference. He also gave an amnesty to holders of weapons and a reward for their turning in their arms.{{cite journal

|page=50

|title=Revenge in the name of religion: Nigeria : the cycle of violence in Plateau and Kano States,

|work=Human Rights Watch Volume 17, Issue 8

|author=Carina Tertsakian

|publisher=Human Rights Watch

|year=2005}}

Alli's measures were successful in calming the situation, and he handed back to civilian rule in November 2004.

Death

On 19 November 2023, Alli died at the Military Hospital located in Lagos State. He was 78.{{cite web |title=Mohammed Chris Alli, a former chief of army staff, during the regime of the late Sani Abacha, is dead |url=https://www.thecable.ng/chris-alli-pro-june12-former-chief-of-army-staff-is-dead/amp|access-date=20 November 2023 |publisher=The Cable}} The government identified the cause of death was as a result of a brief illness.{{cite news |last=Nurudeen |first=Lawal |date=19 November 2023|title=Former Chief of Army Staff, Major General Chris Alli (rtd), has passed away at the age of 78 in a military hospital in Lagos after a brief illness|work=Legit Ng |url=https://www.legit.ng/nigeria/1564522-breaking-chief-army-staff-major-general-chris-alli-dead/|access-date=20 November 2023}}