The former governor of Yobe State, Bukar Abba Ibrahim has died.
He died in Saudi Arabia after a protracted illness, a source told SaharaReporters on Sunday. He was 73 years old.
Another source close to the family posted on his Facebook page: “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun.
“Sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim has passed away just now in Makkah. May Allah grant him peaceful repose and Jannatul Firdaus as his final abode Amin Thumma Amin.”
Bukar Abba was the governor of Yobe State from May 1999 to May 2007. He also served as governor of the state from January 1992 to November 1993.
During his first term, on August 5, 1993, he split the state’s four emirates into 13. The change was reversed by the military regime of Sani Abacha. In his second term after the return to democracy, on January 6, 2000, he re-implemented the new emirates, adding Ngazargamu, Gujba, Nguru, Tikau, Pataskum, Yusufari, Gudi, Fune and Jajere.
In 2007, he was elected to the Senate for the Yobe East constituency. He ran for re-election in the April 9, 2011, Senatorial contest for Yobe East on the ANPP platform and won.
In August 2021, the former governor lost his daughter, Aisha Bukar Abba, also known as Ya’Ummi.
Forty-two-year-old Aisha, a staff member of the Central Bank of Nigeria, died in Cairo, Egypt, following complications related to childbirth.
Meanwhile his remains have been laid to rest on Monday in Saudi Arabia.
The funeral ceremony was held at the Grand Mosque, Masjid Al Haram, after the dawn prayers, according to Yusuf Ali, Senior Special Assistant, Communications and Strategy to Governor Mai Mala Buni.
About 20 deceased were said to have been prayed upon after the dawn prayers at the Grand Mosque.
The funeral prayers took place twice after the Fajr prayers.