The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mallam Gidado Idris, who died on Friday has been buried in Abuja.
The 82-year-old bureaucrat was buried on Saturday at Gudu cemetery in Abuja.
He died after a brief illness.
The burial, which was concluded at around 3 p.m., was attended by the Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, and Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, among others.
Other dignitaries included the former Deputy President of Senate, Ibrahim Mantu; former FCT Minister, Alhaji Aliyu Modibbo; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babagana Kingibe and the Executive Secretary, Abuja National Mosque, Alhaji Ibrahim Jega.
Also at the burial were Maj. Hamza Almustapha, former chief security officer to late Military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha and former Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State.
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SGF Boss Mustapha said the deceased was among the brilliant technocrats produced by the country over the years.
He described him as “an embodiment of generous spirit, hard work and an experienced public servant.”
He said the late former SGF was endowed with institutional memory of the things that happened in the course of Nigeria’s journey to nationhood.
He also described late Gidado as humble, thorough and simple man who was very accessible to whoever stepped into his office as SGF.
“I believe he was endowed with institutional memory of the things that happened in the course of Nigeria’s growth as a nation.
“The death was a huge loss to the family and the nation at large.”
Former Nigeria’s Ambassador to the UK, Ambassador Sarki Tafida, who expressed shock over the sudden death of Idris, also said it was a huge loss to the nation.
He said, “when I got the news earlier today, I was shocked but I know that life is in the hands of God and Allah can take one’s life at anytime.”
Idris, who hailed from Zaria in Kaduna State, was appointed SGF in 1993 and he retired in 1999 after a civil service career that started before Nigeria’s independence. NAN
