Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has explained why he fired his commissioner for works and infrastructure, Engineer Muazu Magaji, who openly celebrated the death of Abba Kyari, chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.
INFOMEDIA reports that Mr Magaji had, in a series of vile Facebook posts, – rejoice over the deathof mr kyari, 67, of complications from the COVID-19–a contagious respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus.
“Win Win Nigeria is free Abba Kyari ya mutu cikin annoba…Mutuwar Shahada in har da Imani mutum ya cika,” read one of Mr Magaji’s sick comments on Saturday, in reaction to Mr Kyari’s Friday death.
However, less than an hour after the posts, mr Ganduje announced the removal of commissioner, following condemnations from members of the public, including Bashir Ahmed, Special Assistant to President Buhari on New Media.
Speaking for the first time on the issue, Mr Ganduje said he removed Mr Magaji for choosing to “disrespect the dead”.
“Death as they say, is no respecter of person. Yesterday saw the death of one of Nigeria’s finest servants, Abba Kyari and indeed it hit home. Mr. Kyari was not just a man of astute accomplishments.
“He was a man who was tenacious, humble and gave it all to the country right up to his death. Rest In Peace Mallam Kyari, you have walked a great path,” the governor wrote in a series of tweets on his Twitter handle on Sunday.
Read Also:
“Yesterday (Saturday) also saw the termination of appointment for the Kano State Commissioner for Works, Engr. Muazu Magaji who chose to, at a moment of mourning, disrespect the dead.
“The elders say, there is a time and place for everything, as such it was disappointing and shocking that Engr. Magaji would of all times, decide to settle personal scores.
“I expect the most from my cabinet and that is why his appointment was withdrawn. There’s so much work to be done in the road before us and I assure the people of Kano that the right hands are on deck to make certain their safety,” Mr Ganduje explained.
‘I was misunderstood’
On his part, Mr Magaji claimed that he never celebrated Mr Kyari’s death in the controversial Facebook posts, saying he was “misunderstood”.
“Assalamualaikum, dear people of Kano and Nigeria at large, I want to sincerely clear up what a lot of people may have misunderstood and set the record straight. As a Muslim and a patriotic Nigerians, I was only misunderstood by people to think that I celebrated Kyari’s death, the truth is I did not.
“Not only that, I made several posts mourning Kyari’s death on my same facebook account and through my special assistants but the general public couldn’t commend such or claim I did such post, rather tend to capitalize on a full-phrase post that is given another set of definition and direction as well as negativity in other to tarnish my reputable image as a member of H.E. Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Administration and his loyalist and that of our National Party APC,” he said in a lengthy statement.
