Borno Govt. will support family of late deputy

The Borno Government said on Monday said that it would support the family of the late Alhaji Zanna Mustapha, the deputy governor, who died in Yola on Saturday.

Gov. Kashim Shettima made the pledge while receiving Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, the deputy governor of Kano state, who led the state delegation on a condolence visit to the governor.

"He was almost irreplaceable, because he was a loyal and dedicated deputy.I still find it difficult to reconcile with myself that he is actually gone forever,'' he said.

Shettima said the late deputy lived an exemplary life.

"Honestly his demise has put us in a fix, especially regarding his role as the leader of the Amirul Hajj delegation in the conduct of the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. His death has created great a vacuum as we have very few people who can successfully lead the state delegation to the Holy Land on pilgrimage,'' he said.

The governor however noted that since it was the Almighty Allah that took his life, nobody could say anything.

"Allah knows what is best for every one of us. We shall strive hard to ensure that his family does not suffer due to his sudden death,'' he promised.

Shettima added: "We shall try our best to lessen the impact of the huge lost on the family by standing by them always'."

Earlier, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, the deputy governor of Kano State, said he was in the state to condole the government and the people over the death of the deputy governor.

"I am here to lead government delegation from Kano to condole the government and people of the state over the death of the deputy governor on behalf of Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje who is unavoidably absent May Allah forgive his soul and grant him al Janna firdausi,'' he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sen. Danjuma Goje of Gombe state also led a delegation from the National Assembly on a condolence visit to Shettima.