Borno Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum on Sunday morning, led top government officials on a visit to the extended family of Malam Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari who died on Friday.
Younger brother to the deceased, Baba-Shehu Zannah Arjinoma, who is the district head of Banki town, received Governor Zulum in the company of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Secretary to Borno government and few officials, at his residence in Maiduguri. Late Kyari hailed from a royal family in Bama local government area in which Banki, a commercial border town, is located.
The Governor’s special adviser on religious affairs, Sheikh Modu Mustapha, a prominent Islamic cleric, moderated prayers offered by the Governor’s delegation, seeking Allah’s forgiveness and mercy for the late Chief of Staff, in line with Islamic tradition.
Answering questions posed by journalists after the condolence, Governor Zulum described late Abba Kyari as a humble and highly disciplined public officer whose dedication to work was uncommon.
“I have had six official appointments with him within the last ten months and in all the six appointments, he scheduled to see me 8 am in his office at the Villa and surprisingly, all the times, I was there before the time and there was never a time I met his absence. He was always in office ahead of our 8 am appointments. I never had to wait for him. He did not disappoint me for once”. Zulum said.
The Governor, later said at the government house that for him, efficient time management and keeping to promises were among major yardsticks of assessing someone holding public office like that of a Chief of Staff to the President.
Zulum noted that the late Kyari was also a man of integrity, who served the President with the highest commitment, loyalty, and sincerity. He said late Abba Kyari had played a silent but crucial role in Borno’s fight against Boko Haram, mitigation of humanitarian crisis, rehabilitation and resettlement of victims through his legitimate influences.
The Governor prayed that Allah forgives the shortcomings of the late Chief of Staff, admits him into paradise and graciously looks after his bereaved family.
