Retired Colonel Dauda Musa Komo, a former Military Administrator of Rivers State, has died. He reportedly passed away on the evening of Friday, May 30, 2025, while attending a public event in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Komo was said to have collapsed during the event and could not be revived. His sudden death has sent shockwaves across political and military circles, especially among those who served during Nigeria’s military era.
Dauda Komo was appointed as the Military Administrator of Rivers State during the regime of late General Sani Abacha. He governed the oil-rich state from December 1993 to August 1996, a period that was marked by widespread unrest in the Niger Delta, particularly among the Ogoni people, who were protesting environmental degradation and demanding justice.
His time in office was a controversial one. The era witnessed strong resistance from local activists, including the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), led by late environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was executed by the Abacha regime in 1995. Komo’s administration was often caught between enforcing federal military directives and dealing with local agitation for resource control and environmental protection.
Though Komo largely kept a low profile after retirement, he occasionally appeared at public functions, especially in Rivers State and northern Nigeria, where he hailed from. He was respected in military circles for his discipline and firm leadership, though his time in power remains a subject of debate among Niger Delta activists and historians.
His death has drawn tributes from former colleagues, military officers, and political figures who described him as a committed officer who served the nation during a challenging time.
As of press time, the cause of death has not been officially confirmed, and his family has yet to release a statement.
Further details, including burial arrangements and official reactions from the Rivers State Government and Nigerian Armed Forces, are expected in the coming days.
Colonel Komo was among the group of military officers who governed various states under General Abacha’s military regime from 1993 to 1998. These administrators were handpicked to implement federal policies during one of Nigeria’s most repressive but oil-rich eras.