President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the death of Peter Onwubuariri, an Assistant Director, Media, at the Presidential Villa, who died in Kano after a prolonged illness.
Onwubuariri, a veteran journalist and a former staff member of the News Agency of Nigeria, died on Monday at the age of 48 after receiving treatment for about a month at the Kano Cancer Hospital.
His remains were released from the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital on Tuesday for burial in Owerri, Imo State.
His corpse was handed over to the Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations, State House, Oche Egwa, on behalf of the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
RELATED NEWS:
- Tinubu Condoles with Tanzania’s President Samia over Husband’s Death
- APC Chieftain Oyintiloye Accuses Opposition of Using Tinubu’s US FOIA Case for Political Gain
The handover was conducted at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital by Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa, spokesperson to the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Onanuga, Tinubu described Onwubuariri’s death as a painful loss to the Presidency, NAN, the media community and the country.
The President said the deceased was a dedicated journalist and committed public servant whose professionalism and calm disposition earned him the respect of colleagues and associates.
Onwubuariri, a former North American correspondent of NAN, was posted to the Presidential Villa in 2014 and subsequently served in the media teams of three successive administrations led by Presidents Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari and Tinubu.
Tinubu noted that the deceased covered several critical national and international issues, including foreign affairs, telecommunications, politics and finance.
The President also commended his dedication, professionalism and commitment to duty, describing his years of service to three administrations as evidence of his competence and integrity.
“Peter was a dedicated journalist and a committed public servant whose professionalism and calm disposition earned him the respect of his colleagues and associates.
“His years of service to three administrations are a testament to his competence, integrity and commitment to duty.
“His passing is a great loss to the Presidential Villa, the media fraternity and Nigeria. He will be remembered for his diligence, his wealth of experience and his contributions to journalism and national service,” the statement reads.
Tinubu extended his condolences to Onwubuariri’s wife, Catherine, his three children, extended family, colleagues and friends.
He prayed that God would give the family the strength to bear the loss and grant the deceased eternal rest.
Onwubuariri rose through the ranks at NAN before his posting to the Presidential Villa, where he served as an Assistant Editor-in-Chief and contributed to the agency’s journalism and editorial operations.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.