Condolences and tributes have continued to pour in for Abba Kyari, the late Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on Friday from coronavirus complications.
Mr Kyari, who had an underlying medical condition, was first reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 on March 23 and he subsequently moved to a private medical facility in Lagos for treatment.
His body arrived Abuja Saturday morning from Lagos. Mr Kyari was interred at exactly 11:20 a.m. at the military cemetery in Abuja’s Gudu neighbourhood amidst tears from family members and supporters.
Former presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, deputy senate president, Ovie Omo-Agege, former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, were amongst top political figures who sent their condolences.
Religious and traditional leaders, including, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi have also extolled the virtues of Mr Kyari, who contracted the fatal virus while on a national assignment in Germany for Nigeria’s power infrastructure.
Nigerians reacted to the demise of Mr Kyari on different social media platforms.
Mr Jonathan described Mr Kyari’s death as a great loss to the federal government, and condoled with President Buhari in a short message via his official twitter handle.
He wrote: “I condole with His Excellency, President Buhari, the Kyari family and all sympathisers on the demise of Mallam Abba Kyari who until his death was the Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria. May Allah grant him Al Jannah Firdaus & strengthen his family & friends during this moment of grief.”
Also on his twitter handle, Mr Atiku, who was the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate and Mr Buhari’s main challenger in 2019 wrote, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. I am saddened by the death of Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari. “May Allah SWT comfort his family, forgive his sins and grant him AlJannah Firdaus. Ameen”.
Mr Omo-Agege, the deputy senate president described the passing of the late officials as a rude shock.
“Nigerians must pray for President Muhammadu Buhari for divine help in charting the way forward”, he wrote on his handle.
Former deputy senate president, Mr Ekweremadu, expressed sadness over Mr Kyari’s demise.
In a statement by his media adviser, Uche Anichukwu, he said, “I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari.
“It is a heavy loss to The Presidency and the nation, which he gave his all.”