Gov. Mohammed Umaru-Bago of Niger has described the death of a former Military Governor of Bauchi and Sokoto states, Retired Lt.-Gen. Garba Duba, as a huge loss to the state and Nigeria at large.
Umaru-Bago, in a condolence message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, on Friday in Minna, said that the passing away of Duba was very painful.
He described the deceased as a very resourceful military officer, saying that this was why he served as military governor in two different states, under two different administrations and with remarkable achievements.
The governor said that the late Duba was a force to be reckoned with, owing to his meaningful contributions to the growth and development of Kontagora emirate, Niger and Nigeria in general.
According to him, Garba was not only a successful military officer but also, an accomplished businessman who contributed immensely to the development of the private sector.
Umaru-Bago commiserated with the Emir of Kontagora, members of his emirate and the family of the deceased, praying Allah to comfort them and make Aljanna Firdaus the final abode of the retired general.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the late Duba, born in 1942, joined the army as a cadet officer at the Nigerian Military Training College, Zaria in 1962 and rose to become a lieutenant-general.
He was the military governor of Bauchi State from July 1978 to October 1979 during the military regime of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo.
The late general was also the military governor of Sokoto State between January 1984 and August 1985 during the military regime of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
He retired from the Nigerian army in 1993 and joined the private sector where he chaired the New Nigerian Development Company (NNDC), SGI Nigeria Limited, and Leadway Pension Fund at different times.
He was also a director in First Bank of Nigeria as well as a non-executive director in Honeywell Flour Mills Plc.
