Abu Ali is a retired Nigerian Army brigadier general, he was Governor of Bauchi State, Nigeria from August 1990 to July 1992 during the military regime of Major General Ibrahim Babangida and is now the current Etsu of Bassa Nge in Kogi State, He is a complete Bassa Nge by tribe from Kpata.

[2] In 1991 there were riots in Tafawa Balewa, where Christians and Muslims disputed a shared abattoir.

After some delay, Abu Ali imposed a dusk to dawn curfew, banned all public gatherings and deployed police and soldiers in all troubled areas to keep the peace.

[2] He retired from the Nigerian Army in 1999 at the rank of a Brigadier General.

Colonel Muhammad Abu Ali who was killed by Boko Haram troops at Mallam Fatori, Borno State, North Eastern Nigeria.