Buhari’s COS, Abba Kyari dies at 82

ABUJA, Nigeria – Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr.Abba Kyari is dead. He was 92. He died after a bout with the COVID-19 pandemic. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina said Kyari died on Friday.

“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 said. Abba Kyari who tested positive to COVID-19 in March was later moved to Lagos perceived to have the best of facilities for managing the pandemic.

Abba Kyari got the ailment when he visited London for medical reasons and tested positive to Coronavirus on his return from London.

“I am writing to let you know that on medical advice, I will transfer to Lagos later today for additional tests and observation. This is a precautionary measure: I feel well, but last week, I tested positive for coronavirus, the pandemic that is sweeping the world. I have followed all the protocols government has announced to self-isolate and quarantine.

“I have made my own care arrangements to avoid further burdening the public health system, which faces so many pressures. Like many others that will test also positive, I have not experienced high fever or other symptoms associated with this new virus and have been working from home. I hope to be back at my desk very soon”, he said before his transfer to Lagos.

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Abba Kyari was born Nov 17, 1938 into a Kanuri family from Borno. He has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Warwick(1980) and also received a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Cambridge. In 1983, he was called to the Nigerian Bar after attending the Nigerian Law School.

In 1984, he obtained a masters degree from University of Cambridge and later went to the the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland and participated in the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School, in 1992 and 1994, respectively.

Upon his return to Nigeria, Kyari worked for the law firm of Fani-Kayode and Sowemimo for some time.

In 1990, he served as a Commissioner for Forestry and Animal Resources in Borno State and later secretary to the board of African International Bank Limited, a subsidiary of Bank of Credit and Commerce International. Kyari was an executive director in charge of management services at the United Bank for Africa, and was later appointed the chief executive officer.

In 2002, he was appointed a board director of Unilever Nigeria, and later served on the board of Exxon Mobil Nigeria.