Umar Dikko dies at 78 in London

The remains of the former minister are expected to arrive the country Friday.  His younger brother, Alhaji Bello Dikko, who spoke with our correspondent yesterday in Zaria, said arrangements were on to bring his body home.“We are going to issue a formal statement after due consultations with our elder brother, but we are hopeful that […]

The remains of the former minister are expected to arrive the country Friday.  His younger brother, Alhaji Bello Dikko, who spoke with our correspondent yesterday in Zaria, said arrangements were on to bring his body home.
“We are going to issue a formal statement after due consultations with our elder brother, but we are hopeful that the remains will be in Nigeria by Friday. As you can see, every one of us is mourning the  great gentleman. We have started making arrangements for his burial,” he said.
He added that Umaru Dikko who had been battling with diabetes left the country about two weeks ago for treatment abroad.
Dikko Jr. described the late Umaru as an honest, intelligent and a patriotic Nigerian. He said the family, Kaduna State, the North and the country would miss a “leader with integrity.”
Umaru Dikko was born in 1936 and after his primary education, proceeded to the popular Barewa College, Zaria, for his secondary education and later moved to England for different courses. There, he worked as a broadcaster with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) before returning to Nigeria.
He served as commissioner for finance in the defunct North-Central State and later commissioner for information in the old Kaduna State before being appointed minister under the Alhaji Shehu Shagari administration. His last appointment was as chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) disciplinary committee by the defunct Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led executive committee. Dikko is survived by two wives and 11 children.