EHIME ALEX, Lagos
Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari has passed on, the Presidency announced Saturday.
The official announcement was contained in a statement by Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity.
Adesina stated that Kyari died on Friday, and that funeral arrangements would be announced shortly.
“The Presidency regrets to announce the passage of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari.
“The deceased had tested positive to the ravaging COVID-19, and had been receiving treatment. But he died on Friday, April 17, 2020.
“May God accept his soul.
“Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly,” Adesina announced.
Kyari was one of the closest advisers to President Buhari. He died after contracting the novel coronavirus.
A former chief executive officer of United Bank for Africa Plc, Kyari was named chief of staff in August 2015 by president Buhari. His appointment was renewed after Buhari won a second term in office.
Behind the scenes, he was regarded as one of the powerful politicians in Buhari’s cabinet.
Kyari was reported to had tested positive for coronavirus after returning from a trip to Germany.
A high profile personality, Kyari hailed from the northeastern state of Borno. He held degrees from the University of Cambridge and University of Warwick in law and sociology, and had worked at Unilever Nigeria Plc, Exxon Mobil, among other companies.
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