Key points about the late Abba Kyari
The late Abba Kyari was the chief of staff to president Muhammadu Buhari. He was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus (Covids-19) on March 24, 2020, after a trip to Germany to broker a power deal; and was transported in an air ambulance to Lagos for treatment on March 30. He died on 17th April 2020. […]
Abba Kyari
The late Abba Kyari was the chief of staff to president Muhammadu Buhari.
He was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus (Covids-19) on March 24, 2020, after a trip to Germany to broker a power deal; and was transported in an air ambulance to Lagos for treatment on March 30.
He died on 17th April 2020.
Below are some key points you need to know about the late chief of staff Abba Kyari to president Muhammadu Buhari
1. Abba grew up in a Kanuri family in Maiduguri, Borno State. His father sent him to Saint Paul’s College, Wusasa – a secondary school set up by the Anglican Church. It is now called Kufena College.
2. Kyari graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Warwick in 1980 and also received a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Cambridge and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1983.
3. He served as a journalist with the New Nigeria Newspapers in Kaduna in 1973, then moved on to New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) based in Kaduna as investment executive; and became an editor with the Democrat newspaper which used to be based in Kaduna.
4. Abba served as the executive director of UBA for up to six years. After that, he became the managing director of the bank for four years. He spent close to 10 years in UBA before he resigned and went into private business.
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5. In 2002, he was appointed a board director of Unilever Nigeria, and later served on the board of Exxon Mobil Nigeria.
6. He was appointed Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2015.
7. Since his appointment, Abba Kyari became a major player in Nigeria’s power matrix.
8. He was reappointed for a second stint as Chief of Staff when Buhari was re-elected as president in 2019.
9. A leaked memo from the office of the National Security Adviser, Babagana Mungonu, in February 2020 accused the Chief of Staff of overstepping his bounds by overriding presidential directives, holding meetings with security chiefs and interfering in national security matters, including awarding defence contracts.
10. Kyari embarked on a trip to Germany for an energy deal on behalf of the Nigerian government. There, he was suspected to have contracted the coronavirus.
11. Upon his return on March 14, he continued his official duties, reportedly meeting some governors and other government officials until he tested positive to the virus nine days later.
12. After his arrival from Germany, he attended the wedding of the son of the Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu.
13. He also attended the meeting of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) with President Buhari on March 16, and group photographs were taken.
The meeting was attended by 16 out of the 20 governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), including
- Babagana Zulum (Borno),
- Babajide Sanwo Olu (Lagos),
- Dapo Abiodun (Ogun),
- Godwin Obaseki (Edo),
- Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi),
- Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa),
- Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara),
- Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa),
- Mohammed Sani (Niger)
- Simon Lalong (Plateau).
- Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo),
- Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano),
- Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun),
- Aminu Masari (Katsina),
- Hope Uzodinma(Imo) and
- Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe).
14. Before the suspended National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the APC, Kyari had an encounter with the embattled National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday, March 16.
15. On Tuesday, March 17, the late chief of staff led a delegation to Okene to commiserate with Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State over the death of his mother, Hauwa’u Ozoho.
16. On March 21, Kyari issued a memo warning members of the National Assembly returning to the country to immediately submit themselves to screening and tests for coronavirus following reports that the legislators were refusing tests.
17. Two days later, he tested positive for the virus.
18. Kyari was flown to Lagos to begin treatment for COVID-19, as opposed to being moved to the Gwagwalada Isolation Centre in Abuja as many had expected.
19. It would emerge later that Kyari made private arrangements for his treatment in Lagos, as contained in a letter he released. That incidentally would be his last communication to the Nigerian public.
20. Kyari died to the novel coronavirus on the 17th April 2020