Plateau Commissioner slumps, dies while jogging with governor; Lalong calls off official engagements

Plateau State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Mr Samuel Galadima, slumped and died on Wednesday, while jogging along with Governor Simon Lalong, at the Rwang Pam Stadium, Jos.
Mr Emmanuel Nanle, Director of Press Affairs, confirmed the incident.
“Yes, the commissioner slumped while jogging and was rushed to the Plateau Specialist Hospital, where he died,” he said.
Nanle said that the official was gasping for breath by the time he arrived the hospital.
“Doctors tried to stabilise him but could not. We have lost him,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lalong has called off official engagements, following Galadima’s sudden demise.
Galadima, 60, slumped and died while jogging with the governor at the Rwang Pam Stadium Wednesday morning.
The governor was scheduled to be a Special Guest at the World Water Day celebration, after which he was to receive the Commissioner of Police in charge of the force’s animals.
He was also scheduled to inaugurate Farmers’ Bank, in Jos.
At the Government House, members of the state executive council and other senior officials kept moving into the governor’s residence to condole him.
Distraught government officials were seen discussing the development in hushed tones.
Workers were also thrown into a mourning mood, with many of them too shocked to utter a word.
Some workers expressed surprise at Galadima’s sudden death.
“He appeared hale and hearty just yesterday. Even this morning, we saw his car when he was moving to the stadium for exercise, only to be hit by this news,” a director said.
Galadima is among many high profile deaths within a month in the Plateau Government House, coming after the demise of Deputy Chief of Staff, Yusuf Hawaja, who died on February 19, and was followed by his mother, Habiba, six days later.
Mr Pius Dashe, Chief Administrative Officer at the Government House, also died on Thursday, March 16.
Dr. Hosea Azi, Chairman, Jos East Local Government Management Committee, died on December 13, 2015, a day after he was sworn in.