The Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has expressed shock over the death of Dr Makun Halilu, a former Medical Director with Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Halilu, who died in the early hours of Wednesday in Abuja after a brief illness, was the Rani Nupe of Nupe Kingdom.
In a condolence message from his Wadata Palace, Bida in Niger state, the Etsu Nupe described Rani Nupe as patriotic, pious, generous, complete gentleman and a committed kinsman of the emirate.
Alhaji Abubakar said that the demise had created a wide vacuum that would be difficult to fill.
The monarch said that the deceased had shown genuine love to the people living in his domain, irrespective of tribe or religious inclinations.
“Dr Makun Halilu was Godly and had the interest of his people at heart above any other thing.
“Alhough God has His reasons for taking him at this point in time, the people of Kin Nupe enjoyed his fatherly advice and he will be greatly missed,” he said.
The monarch prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the deceased and grant his family and friends the fortitude to bear the loss.
In his condolence message, Madaki Nupe, Alhaji Abubakar Dzukogi, Dr Halilu’s close friend, said it was painful to lose such a great mind that devoted all his life in service of Allah and humanity.
Dzukogi enjoined his family to take solace in the words of God, which says for everything under the sun, there is a time to be born, and a time to die.
The remains of Makun, who died at the age of 71, in a hospital in Abuja, will be buried in his country home, Bida later today.
