Former head of National Security Organisation and former presidential aspirant, Umaru Shinkafi is dead.
According to sources, Shnkafi, who was a Presidential aspirant in the third republic, died in a London hospital.
The politician had been in and out of the hospital in the last six months, battling an undisclosed ailment.
Shinkafi, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO), now Department of State Service (DSS), between October 1979 and November 1983, was flown abroad in January after a health relapse.
According to sources, the late Marafan Sokoto initially received treatment at St. Nicholas Hospital and Reddington Hospital, both in Lagos, before his referral to London.
A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We lost Shinkafi in London at 4 p.m (yesterday). He was flown to in January with some members of his immediate family and three medical doctors.
“In the last six months, he had been battling with ill-health. But it has pleased Allah to call him home. From Allah we came and unto Him we shall return.
“Arrangements are being made to bring his body back home for burial on or before Friday because of flight logistics.”
The late Shinkafi is survived by three wives and five children, including the wives of Kebbi and Zamfara states’ governors.
The late Marafan Sokoto, who opted for a career in the police in 1959, was a graduate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he received his LLB degree in Law in 1973.
Respected for his specialisation in intelligence gathering, the late Shinkafi was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs (now Interior Ministry) in 1975 before he was made the director-general of the defunct NSO.
But at NSO, he ran into storm over the controversial deportation of a former Majority Leader of Borno State House of Assembly, Alhaji Abdurrahman Shugaba Darman, in 1981.
Shugaba, who was a chieftain of the defunct Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP), was accused of alleged “assassination plot against former President Shehu Shagari, of the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
The late Shugaba was later confirmed to be a Nigerian by a High Court, after his aged mother succeeded in identifying his voice in a testimony which shaped the nation’s legal history.
His foray into politics almost overshadowed his police cum secret service career.
He was a leading presidential aspirant of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1992 before the military regime of ex-President Ibrahim Babangida aborted the primaries.
But he succeeded in becoming the vice-presidential candidate to Chief Olu Falae in the All Peoples Party (APP) and Action for Democracy (AD) alliance in 1999.
The alliance was defeated at the poll in 1999 by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which fielded Olusegun Obasanjo/Atiku Abubakar.
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday commiserated with the government and people of Zamfara State on the passing away of one of Alhaji Shinkafi.
In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President described the late politician, administrator and technocrat as an expert whose contributions to the development of the security architecture of Nigeria remained indelible.
The President urged other Nigerians to carry on from where the late Shinkafi left off.
He urged his family, friends and associates to take solace in the fact that the late Shinkafi played the parts assigned to him diligently, conscientiously and patriotically.
Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, in a condolence message by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, described the late Shinkafi as a distinguished legal luminary, security expert, politician with conscience and great community leader and mobiliser.
Tambuwal said: “Marafa’s death has closed a chapter in the life of one Nigeria’s most valuable public officers who made his mark in both public and private sectors. He was a truly passionate Nigerian whose invaluable contributions to issues of national interest will be greatly missed.
“His law office served as a training ground for many aspiring lawyers in Sokoto State and beyond.”
Condoling with his immediate family, the people and government of Zamfara State and the Sultanate Council of Sokoto, Tambuwal prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest.
House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara has commiserated with the government and people of Zamfara State and other Nigerians on the death of Alhaji Shinkafi.
In a statement by his spokesman, Turaki Hassan, the Speaker described the death of the elder statesman as a huge loss to the nation.
Dogara said Shinkafi was a true democrat who contributed immensely towards the restoration of democracy in 1999.
He said: “In all his years in the public service, the late Shinkafi distinguished himself as a patriot, committed and dedicated Nigerian.
“He served the nation with distinction as a lawyer, police officer, Federal Commissioner of Internal Affairs and intelligence chief in the NSO before joining politics.”
The Speaker said the late Shinkafi was a bridge-builder, who lived exemplary live worthy of emulation.
He added: “Our hearts go to his immediate family, government and people of Zamfara State over the irreparable loss.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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