Update: How Abba Kyari Died; Hospital Shuts Down; He Stood No Chance

By Adesina Soyooye

Not a few people knew, when the story emerged that Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, had contracted the Coronavirus disease, that he stood no chance of survival.

Three things worked against him.

*He was 80 years and counting.

Only a handful of old people had miraculously survived the COVID-19 disease since it hit the world from Wuhan, China in December 2019.

*He had underlying health issues.

Even though the health issues were never made public, it was common knowledge that he was travelling out to London, unannounced, for treatment. When the disease hit him, there were undenied reports that his medical history had been asked of from a London hospital.

*He did not quarantine himself on return from Germany. He, instead, carried on government business as usual, and wasted ten precious days which, perhaps, might have been of essence to his treatment.

Indeed, on his return from Germany, in March, where he had gone to meet with Siemens officials to discuss Power issues, he not only attended high profile meetings, including with Buhari and almost all the state governors, he led a Federal Government delegation to Lokoja, Kogi state, to condole with Governor Yahaya Bello who had lost his mother.

It is strongly believed that, at least, two Governors – Nasir El-Rufai, Kaduna, and Seyi Makinde  of Oyo  State, contracted the disease through contacts with  Kyari.

While Makinde has recovered, El-Rufai is still positive, over two weeks after he was quarantined.

Bala Mohammed of Bauchi  state said he  contracted his after a handshake with former Vice President Atiku Abubarkar’s son, Mohammed, but the Atiku family put a lie to his claims , saying he deliberately hid the fact that he visited Germany. The Governor has since recovered. However, Atiku’s son is still in receiving treatment, in month after.

The miracle is that Buhari did not contract the disease from Kyari, a fact the Presidency celebrated when he tested negative. But unconfirmed reports said First Lady, Aisha Buhari, was in such a panic that she demanded for a decontamination of the Villa.

The Presidency had refused to confirm Kyari’s COVID-19 Status, until he confirmed it in a statement on March 29, the same day President Buhari made his first national broadcast on the disease.

While announcing his status, Kyari had said he was moving to Lagos where, he disclosed, he had made a private arrangement for his treatment. He also expressed optimism that he would return to his seat soon.

Until his death, the hospital where  he was treated was never made public.

On Friday, a high profile hospital, Premier Specialist Hospital was shut down by the management till further notice. It has branches in Victoria Island and Lekki.

Another hospital,  St Edward Hospital, Ajah, also closed down even though it has been decontaminated.

Two weeks ago, the rumour had made the rounds that Kyari had passed.  But it was vehemently denied by the Presidency, even though a source had told this magazine: It is a matter of time, he is not getting better. He is not going to make it”

Weighing in on the death rumour then, former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, described it as wicked. Kyari had worked in Femi-Kayode’s father’s Law firm.

When, therefore, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media, announced Kyari’s passing in a terse statement, very early Saturday morning, it was like: No surprise.

Wrote Adesina in his Twitter handle in a statement dated April 18, and entitled:

CHIEF OF STAFF TO PRESIDENT, ABBA KYARI, PASSES ON,

“The Presidency regrets to announce the passage of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari.

The deceased had tested positive to the ravaging COVID-19, and had been receiving treatment. But he died on Friday, April 17, 2020.

May God accept his soul.

Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly.”

Kyari was, by any stretch of imagination,  the most powerful and the most influential official in the Presidency. He was also the closest aide to Buhari. He was so powerful that he always invited Service Chiefs to meet with him, a situation that forced the National Security Adviser to the President, Major General Babagana Monguno,   to write a much publicised letter, decrying it, and warning Service Chiefs to stop forthwith.

The President had also asked his Ministers to make any requests of him through Kyari.

A native of Borno State, of Kanuri stock, Kyari, a Lawyer, leaves behind four children.

He was married to Ibrahim Tahir’s younger sister. Tahir was a Minister under President Shehu Shagari’s administration