The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Wednesday mourned the demise of its outgoing secretary-general, Mohammad Barkindo.
The 63-year-old Barkindo died at about 11p.m Tuesday.
His demise was announced by Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC Limited in the early hours of Wednesday.
Kyari confirmed that Mr Barkindo will be buried in his home town in Yola, Adamawa state, Wednesday.
The circumstances surrounding Barkindo’s death remained unclear as of press time Wednesday.
Earlier, Tuesday, he held a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, during which he announced that his six-year tenure as OPEC scribe was coming to an end.
At that event, Buhari thanked him for being a worthy ambassador of the country.
The president also directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to mobilise the oil and gas industry to organise a befitting welcome reception in his honour when he finally returns home.
OPEC in a statement Wednesday described Barkindo’s death as a tragedy and a great loss to the energy and oil community in Nigeria and across the world.
