Nigerian President’s Chief of Staff dies from coronavirus

Chief of Staff to Nigeria’s President, Abba Kyari has died from coronavirus

He died on Friday after contracting the new coronavirus.

The information was confirmed on Twitter by senior government officials.

Kyari, who was in his 70s and had underlying health problems including diabetes, was the top official aide to 77-year-old President Muhammadu Buhari and one of the most powerful men in the country.

“The Presidency regrets to announce the passage of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari,” said presidency spokesman Garba Shehu in a tweet, using an honorific title for Kyari.

“The deceased had tested positive to the ravaging COVID-19, and had been receiving treatment. But he died on Friday, April 17, 2020,” he said in a second post on Twitter.

Spokesman Femi Adesina also confirmed the death.

Reuters reported on March 24 that Kyari had contracted the highly infectious disease.

According to Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control, 493 cases have been confirmed with 17 deaths.