The Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari is dead.
The spokesman to the President, Femi Adesina confirmed his death in a statement on Saturday morning.
According to him, the Chief of Staff died on Friday having tested positive to the ravaging COVID-19.
“The Presidency regrets to announce the passage of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari.
“The deceased had tested positive to the ravaging COVID-19, and had been receiving treatment. But he died on Friday, April 17, 2020.
“May God accept his soul.
“Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly.” The statement read.
On March 24, 2020, it was made public that Kyari tested positive for COVID-19 on March 23, following an official trip to Germany nine days before.
It was also reported that Kyari had underlying medical conditions, and was secretly flown out of the country, a claim the Presidency neither admitted nor denied.
Kyari later issued a statement denying that he was moved out of Abuja for treatment.
Kyari was an influential figure within the Buhari’s administration. During the administration’s first term, he worked mainly behind the scenes to implement the president’s agenda.
In 2019 with Buhari’s re-election for a second term, he ordered his cabinet to channel all requests through Kyari’s office which further enhanced his influence within government circles, and being labelled as the de facto head of government.
In 2017, following a leaked memo, Kyari became embroiled in a public argument with the Head of Civil Service, who was later removed from office and arrested.
In 2020, in another leaked memo, published by RootstvNigeria, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno accused Kyari of meddling in matters of national security.
