A former federal commissioner and presidential aspirant, Umaru Shinkafi, is dead. Shinkafi died in a hospital in London at about 4:07pm Nigerian time on Wednesday.
Shinkafi, who held the traditional title of Marafan Sokoto, was a native of Zamfara State and was a Federal Commissioner of Internal Affairs and a presidential aspirant in the third Republic.
He also had an extensive career in military intelligence.
“The body will be flown back to Nigeria on Friday for burial at Abubakar III burial ground in Sokoto,” a source said.
Shinkafi is survived by three wives, and five children. One of his daughters is Zainab, wife of Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, and another is Hadiza, the wife of Zamfara governor, AbdulAzeez Yari.
Meanwhile, President Muhammad Buhari has commiserated with the government and people of Sokoto State on the passing away of Shinkafi.
President Buhari describes the departed politician, administrator and technocrat, as an expert whose contributions to the development of the security architecture of Nigeria remains indelible, adding that others carried on where he left off.
The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Femi Adesina, recalled that the former Federal Commissioner of Internal Affairs and boss of the National Security Organisation (NSO), played frontline roles in the activities leading to the eventual return and enthronement of democracy in the country.
He called on family members, friends and associates of the departed community leader who held the Marafan Sokoto traditional title to take solace in the fact that the late Umaru Shinkafi played the parts assigned to him diligently, conscientiously and patriotically , enjoining them to emulate the good virtues that he left behind.
President Buhari prayed that Almighty Allah will grant the soul of the departed eternal rest.
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