Eminent Nigerians on Saturday eulogised the virtues of former President Shehu Shagari as his remains were interred at his residence located in the Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State. Shagari died on Friday in Abuja at 93.
He was laid to rest at 3.30pm after funeral prayers led by a former Vice Chancellor of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Prof. Shehu Galadanchi.
The corpse arrived in the Sultan Abubakar Airport, Sokoto, and was received by Governor Aminu Tambuwal, alongside members of the state executive council, for onward journey to his final resting place in Shagari.
The late Shagari was Nigeria’s President between October 1979 and December 1983, under the platform of the National Party of Nigeria.
His second tenure was truncated by a coup d’état which saw incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari assuming office as Head of State in December 1983.
Nuradeen Mahe, a grandson to the late president, said the deceased was sick for some time due to age-related illness. He said, “Alhamdulilahi, he gave up the ghost on Friday at the National Hospital, Abuja.”
A Federal Government delegation led by the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and governors of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states witnessed the burial.
Former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, former INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega; Waziri Sokoto, Prof. Junaid Wali, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, former Minister of Water Resources, Mukhtar Shagari, among others, also attended the funeral.
The Punch
