Buhari’s chief of staff Abba Kyari dies of coronavirus

The chief of staff to the Nigerian president Abba Kyari is dead, presidential spokesman Femi Adesina said on Saturday morning.

Adesina, however, did not say when Kyari, who has been in the hospital for some time, died.

“Funeral arrangements to be announced soon,” he said.

Kyari was suspected to have contracted the novel coronavirus when he visited Germany in early March multiple sources said. The presidency did not deny or confirm the rumour.

But the special

He was Buhari’s closest person in the cabinet. In fact, Buhari, while inaugurating his ministers in August, ordered them to make requests for meetings with him through his now-late chief of staff.

Multiple media reports said the president was also tested for the virus but his test came out negative. A number of top Nigerian politicians, some of whom met Kyari after his return from Germany, also took the test.

Three governors – Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and Seyi Makinde of Oyo – all tested positive for the virus. Mohammed and Makinde have since recovered.