Abba Kyari
Abasifreke Effiong
Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, has passed on battling with the novel coronavirus disease.
Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to Buhari, Femi Adesina announced his passage in a statement on the night of Friday, 18th April.
“The Presidency regrets to announce the passage of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari.”
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“The deceased had tested positive to the ravaging COVID-19, and had been receiving treatment. But he died on Friday, April 17, 2020.”
“Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly”, the statement says.
Nigeria has recorded 493 cases of Coronavirus with 17 deaths.
Kyari has been Buhari’s right hand man and lead staff right from 2015 when the former military administrator was elected president. He was reappointed Chief of Staff to the President after Buhari won a reelection in 2019.
Kyari had travelled to Germany on March 7 and returned about a week later.
He is suspected to have contracted the coronavirus disease during the trip.
Kyari who was in Germany alongside the power minister, Saleh Mamman, to meet with officials of Siemens AG in pursuit of the deal recently signed between the Nigerian government and the energy company towards improving electricity supply in the country. Saleh Mamman, returned to the country on March 14.
