President Muhammadu Buhari has described the death of two Borno Emirs- the Shehu of Bama, Shehu Kyari Ibn Umar El-Kanemi and the Emir of Biu Mai Umar Mustapha Aliyu in a rapid succession as a “rare double tragedy,” and a painful loss to the people of Nigeria.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) dosc;osed this in a statement on Tuesday at the State House, Abuja.
In separate letters of condolence delivered to Governor Babagana Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, Shehu Abubakar Ibn-Umar Garbai El-Kanemi by a government delegation led by Malam Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education, President Buhari said “such a rare tragedy is especially painful for the people of Borno and Nigeria at large.”
In the letters, President Buhari noted that “their contributions to keeping the peace and stability in their respective Emirates especially in the wake of recent years of violence and disturbances caused by Boko Haram have been appreciated by the government and people of Nigeria. Their exemplary leadership in the face of adversity is worthy of emulation by their successors.”
The leader of the delegation commended Governor Babagana Zulum for doing so much in the face of personal danger to make peace and safety of his people his number one agenda.
The Governor urged the delegation, which included two ministers of state, Mustapha Shehuri, Agriculture and rural development and Engineer Abubakar Aliyu, Works and Housing as well as Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, to convey the gratitude and appreciation of the government and people of Borno State to President Buhari for his love, respect and caring attitude towards the state and its people.