Ishaya Bakut
Encyclopedia
General Ishaya Bakut was Military Governor of Benue State
in Nigeria from September 1986 to December 1987 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida
.
He was Field Commander in Liberia
of the ECOMOG West African multinational force from September 1991 to December 1992.
LGA in Kaduna State
.
He attended Government College, Kaduna
(1961–1965) on a Shell BP Scholarship.
In 1966 he went to the Nigerian Defence Academy
, Kaduna, graduating in March 1969, when he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant. He attended Ahmadu Bello University
, Zaria (1971–1975) where he earned a B.Sc Engineering.
He attended the United States School of Engineering (1977–1978), the Command and Staff College, Jaji
(1979–1980) and the Indian National Defence College, New Delhi in 1985 where he obtained his M.Sc.
(1969–1970). He was appointed Commander of 41 Engineers Brigade, Kaduna in 1976 and became a Senior Operations Officer, Operational Engineering. He served in the Nigerian contingent of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Lebanon
(April 1980 – February 1981). Other positions were Directing Command and Staff College, Jaji (1981–1983), Colonel, General Staff and Army Headquarters, Lagos, and Commander 41 Engineers Brigade, Kaduna.
He was appointed Field Commander in Liberia
of the ECOMOG West African multinational force on 28 September 1991.
He declared his intention that ECOMOG would be an impartial and non-political peacekeeping force.
Shortly after, troops from Senegal
arrived to strengthen ECOMOG, and were later deployed to Bong County
in preparation for a planned disarmament of the rebel forces. However, Charles Taylor ordered his troops to attack the Senegalese, whom Bakut persuaded with difficulty to remain on the defensive. Soon after the Senegalese withdrew from the mission.
His replacement by General Adetunji Olurin had just been announced in October 1992, when Charles Taylor launched a terror attack on Monrovia
. His troops barely maintained control of parts of the city until Olurin arrived in December 1992.
In 1995 he was Principal Officer to Chief of General Staff, Lt. General Oladipo Diya
.
Benue State
Benue is a state in the Middle-Belt region of Nigeria with a population of about 2.8 million in 1991. Tiv, Idoma, and Igede are spoken predominantly. There are other ethnic groups as well. These include Etulo and Abakwa...
in Nigeria from September 1986 to December 1987 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
.
He was Field Commander in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
of the ECOMOG West African multinational force from September 1991 to December 1992.
Birth and education
Ishaya Bakut was born on 16 August 1947 in Kurmi-Bi, Zonkwa in KachiaKachia
Kachia is a Local Government Area in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Kachia.It has an area of 4,632 km² and a population of 244,274 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 802....
LGA in Kaduna State
Kaduna State
-History:The state is the successor to the old Northern Region of Nigeria, which had its capital at Kaduna. In 1967 this was split up into six states, one of which was the North-Central State, whose name was changed to Kaduna State in 1976. This was further divided in 1987, losing the area now part...
.
He attended Government College, Kaduna
Kaduna
Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...
(1961–1965) on a Shell BP Scholarship.
In 1966 he went to the Nigerian Defence Academy
Nigerian Defence Academy
The Nigerian Defence Academy at Kaduna is the only Military University in Nigeria.The NDA was established in January 1964 as a reformation of the British run Royal Military Forces Training College , which had been renamed the Nigerian Military Training College on independence...
, Kaduna, graduating in March 1969, when he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant. He attended Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University is the largest university in Nigeria and second largest in Africa, second only to Cairo University, Egypt. It is situated in Zaria. It was founded on October 4, 1962 as the University of Northern Nigeria....
, Zaria (1971–1975) where he earned a B.Sc Engineering.
He attended the United States School of Engineering (1977–1978), the Command and Staff College, Jaji
Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji
The Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji is a training facility for the Nigerian Armed Forces, including the army, air force and navy. It is near the village of Jaji, Nigeria, about 35 km northeast of Kaduna in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria.-History:The Army...
(1979–1980) and the Indian National Defence College, New Delhi in 1985 where he obtained his M.Sc.
Early military career
He was a Company and Battalion Commander in the Infantry during the Nigerian Civil WarNigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
(1969–1970). He was appointed Commander of 41 Engineers Brigade, Kaduna in 1976 and became a Senior Operations Officer, Operational Engineering. He served in the Nigerian contingent of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
(April 1980 – February 1981). Other positions were Directing Command and Staff College, Jaji (1981–1983), Colonel, General Staff and Army Headquarters, Lagos, and Commander 41 Engineers Brigade, Kaduna.
Later career
He was appointed Military Governor of Benue state on 18 September 1986. There were no major developments in the state during his rule, which ended in December 1987.He was appointed Field Commander in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
of the ECOMOG West African multinational force on 28 September 1991.
He declared his intention that ECOMOG would be an impartial and non-political peacekeeping force.
Shortly after, troops from Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
arrived to strengthen ECOMOG, and were later deployed to Bong County
Bong County
Bong is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has twelve districts. Gbarnga serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring...
in preparation for a planned disarmament of the rebel forces. However, Charles Taylor ordered his troops to attack the Senegalese, whom Bakut persuaded with difficulty to remain on the defensive. Soon after the Senegalese withdrew from the mission.
His replacement by General Adetunji Olurin had just been announced in October 1992, when Charles Taylor launched a terror attack on Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
. His troops barely maintained control of parts of the city until Olurin arrived in December 1992.
In 1995 he was Principal Officer to Chief of General Staff, Lt. General Oladipo Diya
Oladipo Diya
Donaldson Oladipo Diya is a retired Lt. General in the Nigerian Army.He was appointed Military Governor of Ogun State from January 1984 to August 1985....
.