President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, is dead.
Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, made the announcement in a statement on Saturday.
“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”, he added.
Recall that the NCDC said Nigeria’s death toll increased to 17 on Friday from 13 on Thursday.
Nigeria has 493 confirmed cases of COVID-19 including the 17 deaths while 157 people have recovered and have been discharged.
Mr Kyari had travelled to Germany on March 7 and returned about a week later. He is suspected to have contracted the disease while there.
The chief of staff, who was in Europe alongside the power minister, Saleh Mamman, returned to the country on March 14.
The duo had travelled to Germany 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.
Mr Kyari was first appointed chief of staffto the president in 2015 when Mr Buhari came to power. He was reappointed last year after his principal won reelection.
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CHIEF OF STAFF TO PRESIDENT, ABBA KYARI, PASSES ON
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.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
April 18, 2020
