The member representing Lokoja/Kogi Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Umar Baba Jibril, is dead.
Aged 58 years, Jibril, a three time member of the house, died in the early hours of Saturday in Abuja, one of his political associates, Mr Amuda Dan Sulaiman confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria
He was until his death, the Deputy Majority Leader of the house.
He was also a former Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly.
Meanwhile the late lawmaker has been buried in Lokoja.
Jibril was buried amidst tears from families, friends and colleagues that thronged Lokoja for the burial.
The burial was attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, Kogi Deputy Governor, Mr. Simon Achuba, Kogi House of Assembly Speaker, Mr. Matthew Kolawole, members of the house, among others.
Dogara, who spoke with newsmen after the burial, described Jibril as a fine colleague and brilliant lawmaker.
He lamented the loss of many lawmakers at the same time and prayed God to halt the tide.
“I don’t think it has happened before; not to my recollection. We have lost about three senators and five members of the House of Representatives in the past few weeks,” he said.
Mr. Matthew Kolawole, the Speaker, Kogi House of Assembly, told newsmen that the state government, the Kogi House of Assembly, and the entire Kogi would miss him a lot.
“Don’t forget that he was a former speaker of Kogi House of Assembly, we will miss him a lot.
“I pray that God almighty will give all of us the heart to bear the irreparable loss.
“What happened today is a big lesson to all of us who are still living.
“No matter how rich you are, just remember that sometime, someday, you will drop dead, and when you do, you are going to give an account of your life to God.
“It is a debt we will all pay sometimes someday,” Kolawole said.
(NAN) .
