Borno will Stand by the Family of My Late Deputy, Says Shettima

Michael Olugbode

Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, yesterday pledged that the state government will stand by the family of his late deputy governor, Alhaji Zannah Umar Mustapha.

The governor while describing Mustapha as almost irreplaceable, said his family will be supported all the way.

Hosting the Kano State delegation led by the state deputy governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, who were in Maiduguri to pay a condolence visit, Shettima said the sudden death of his deputy had created an enormous vacuum in the state, which will be difficult to fill.

The governor said the late Mustapha would be “almost irreplaceable, because he was a loyal and dedicated deputy,” insisting that: “I still find it difficult to reconcile with myself that he is actually gone forever.”

Shettima who said the late deputy lived an exemplary life, added: “Honestly, his demise has put us in a fix, especially regarding his role as the leader of the Amirul Hajj delegation in the conduct of the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

“His death has created great vacuum as we have very few people who can successfully lead the state delegation to the holy land on pilgrimage.”

The governor said since it was the wish of God to take his life, the people of the state and their government can only console themselves that: “Allah knows what is best for every one of us,” and “We shall strive hard to ensure that his family does not suffer due to his sudden death.”

He promised that: “We shall try our best to lessen the impact of the huge lost on the family by standing by them always.”

Speaking earlier, Abubakar had said that he was in the state to condole with the government and the people over the death of the deputy governor.

He said: “I am here to lead a government delegation from Kano to condole with the government and the people of the state over the death of the deputy governor on behalf of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who is unavoidably absent.”

He added: “May Allah forgive his soul and grant him

noting that the late deputy governor had been his ally for a long time.

He revealed: “We spoke three times with him while he was in Yola and all these centred on loyalty to his principal.

“He tutored me on how to succeed as a loyal deputy governor throughout our relationship.”

In a similar development, Senator Danjuma Goje, who was the former governor of Gombe State also led a delegation from the National Assembly on a condolence visit to Shettima.

He said: “We are here as a delegation from the National Assembly to represent the Senate President and the Speaker of the House to condole the state over the death of this great patriot not just of Borno but Nigeria as a whole”

He added that: “We pray to Allah to grant him Aljannah Firdausi,” describing the late deputy governor as “a dedicated and very loyal deputy to his boss. He had shown total commitment towards ending the Boko Haram insurgency and rehabilitation of the North East.”

It can be reported that there was public holiday on Monday in the state to mourn the late deputy governor who died in Yola, Adamawa state on Saturday.

Also on Monday, the Islamic third day prayer was conducted for the deceased at the official residence of the deputy governor which saw dignities from all over the country in attendance.