Ali’s burial was the first I attended… I cried, my mother also shed tears - Buhari's daughter

Zahra Buhari, one of the daughters of President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed that she never attended a burial ceremony until Monday when the remains of Abu Ali, the brave soldier killed by Boko Haram, were interred.

Ali, alongside six officers brought down in the line of duty, was buried at the National Cemetery, Abuja, on Monday.

The other soldiers who died in the attack were Muazu Ibrahim, Hussani Jafaru, Bassey Okon, Chukwu Simon, Salisu Lawal, and Patrick Paul.

Even, Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, could not fight back tears when he read the funeral oration at the gravesides of the heroes.

The first daughter showered encomiums on the deceased, and narrated her experience at the event.

“I experienced a burial for the first time in my life. Right before my eyes I saw our 7 heroes laid to rest, I couldn’t hold back my tears,” she said in a statement posted on social media.

“I looked up and saw my mother wiping away her tears and then Lt. Gen. Buratai’s voice shaking as he gave his touching speech to bid good bye for the last time. Lt Gen Buratai listed town after town, village after village that were recaptured by the army led by our 7 fallen soldiers.

“Tears rolled down as though I had known them all my life. They sacrificed everything they had for us and gave it their all in every battle. I thought to myself “This is the epitome of patriotism!”.

“All our fallen heroes shall not be forgotten. The patriotism I had in my heart before the burial was very much but by the end of the event it had doubled!!

“The bravery, courage and patriotism of our soldiers is an example to every Nigerian, it is the true definition of leading by example.”