Abba Kyari, the chief of staff to the Nigerian president, has died, two presidency spokesmen tweeted on Friday. He was 67.
Kyari reportedly had underlying medical situation together with diabetes earlier than contracting coronavirus after official journey to Germany final month.
He was the highest official aide to 77-year-old President Muhammadu Buhari and one of probably the most highly effective males in Nigeria.
“The Presidency regrets to announce the passage of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari,” mentioned presidency spokesman Garba Shehu in a tweet, utilizing an honorific title for Kyari.
“The deceased had tested positive to the ravaging COVID-19, and had been receiving treatment. But he died on Friday, April 17, 2020,” he mentioned in a second publish on Twitter.
Spokesman Femi Adesina additionally confirmed the demise.
https://twitter.com/FemAdesina/standing/1251295558112870400
Kyari’s demise was the best profile demise due to the illness within the West African nation, which has 493 confirmed circumstances and 17 deaths as of April 17, in accordance to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
Kyari acted because the gatekeeper to Buhari. He traveled to Germany in early March with a delegation of different Nigerian officers for conferences with Siemens AG. He attended conferences with senior authorities officers upon his return to Nigeria.
President Buhari himself has undisclosed medical illnesses and spent 5 months in London for remedies in 2017.