The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside has condoled with the governments and people of Sokoto and Zamfara States on the passage of a foremost politician and former boss of the National Security Organization (NSO) Alhaji Umaru Ali Shinkafi, the Marafan Sokoto.
Umaru Shinkafi died on July 6, 2016 died at the Harefield Hospital, Hill End Road, Harefield, Middlesex, in the United Kingdom Wednesday last week afternoon after a prolonged illness.
Dr. Peterside described Alhaji Umaru as an astute politician and a patriotic Nigerian. According to Dr. Peterside said the Marafan Sokoto passed on at a time when Nigeria was in dire need of his expertise to solve the myriad of security challenges confronting it.
“Nigeria has lost one of its finest politicians and patriots in Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi at a time when his expertise in solving the security challenges in the country are most needed” NIMASA DG said.
Dr. Peterside recalled that while working for Alhaji Umaru during his Presidential Campaign at Choice ’92, “Alhaji Shinkafi , a statesman extraordinaire, highly principled, exhibited maturity and sportsmanship in his dealings with both political associates and foes alike. He was committed to the Nigerian project and was one of the pillars of modern day democracy in Nigeria”
“Indeed, Alhaji Shinkafi served humanity diligently and selflessly in every capacity and remained a reference point to many. We are therefore consoled by the fact that he lived a life worthy of emulation”.
Dr. Peterside also prayed for the Almighty God to grant the soul of the Marafan Sokoto eternal rest and give all those he left behind the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
The Marafan Sokoto died at 79. He was a presidential aspirant during the Third Nigerian Republic, an intelligence chief and former Federal Commissioner of Internal Affairs.
