Biography of Iliya D. Bisalla

Iliya D. Bisalla, who passed away on March 11, 1976, held the position of Major General in the Nigerian Army and served as the Commissioner of Defence, a role now equivalent to Minister of Defence, during the military rule of General Murtala Mohammed, the 4th Nigerian Head of State.

Having been a fellow student with General Hassan Katsina at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, General Bisalla’s military career included being the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 1st Infantry Division of the Nigerian Army from September 1969 to December 1973. He also served as the Commandant of the Nigeria Defence Academy in Kaduna.

Following the failed February 13, 1976 coup led by Colonel Dimka, General Bisalla faced implications based on Dimka’s confessional statements. The investigation revealed his alleged involvement in conspiracy and concealment of treason. Notably, the Special Military Tribunal controversially convicted Bisalla, despite uncertainties surrounding his complicity. The Federal Military Government (FMG) claimed Bisalla provided operational orders to Dimka, while Dimka, during interrogation, pointed to another officer, Major Rabo, as the source of operational orders. It’s worth noting that Dimka’s confessional lacked corroboration, and his inconsistent testimonies, coupled with drinking beer during interrogation, raised questions about the reliability of the evidence.

On March 11, 1976, General Bisalla, along with 31 other alleged co-conspirators, faced execution by firing squad. Among them were individuals with clear guilt, such as Colonel Dimka and Lt. William Seri, while others, like Joseph Gomwalk, had questionable levels of involvement in the coup.