The Presidency on Wednesday announced the death of prominent politician and former director general of the defunct national security organisation, Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi.
A statement by the Presidency confirmed Shinkafi’s death.
Shinkafi, a Federal Commissioner of Internal Affairs in 1975, was also a presidential aspirant during the aborted third republic.
He joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1959, after passing through the Police College in Kaduna.
In 1973, he graduated from the University of Lagos and a year later, he finished from the Nigerian Law School.
In 1973, he graduated from the University of Lagos and a year later, he finished from the Nigerian Law School.
During the third republic, Shinkafi was one of the promoters of the Nigerian National Congress, a political association formed in 1989 after disbanding political groups by the administration of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida.
The party later fused with the National Republican Convention.
Earlier, Shinkafi had emerged as a leading presidential candidate during the period Babangida banned old breed politicians.
He created a Choice ’92 campaign group for his presidential ambition, which intended to have a canvasser in every ward of the federation.
But after the unbanning of the old breed politicians, he had to face tough competition in Adamu Ciroma, who had earlier supported his ambition.
However, the primaries were later annulled and the presidential aspirants were banned.
A new primary to be conducted under the new Option A4 electoral system was approved by Babangida.
During the next primaries, Shinkafi supported the eventual presidential candidate of the National Republican Convention, Bashir Tofa, and the party chairmanship aspirant, Hamed Kusamotu.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the government and people of Zamfara State on the passing away of Shinkafi, whom he described as one of their illustrious sons.
President Buhari described the departed politician, administrator and technocrat as an expert whose contributions to the development of the security architecture of Nigeria remained indelible.
He added that others should carry on where Shinkafi left off.
The President recalled that the former Federal commissioner of internal affairs and boss of the defunct NSO played frontline role in the activities leading to the eventual return and enthronement of democracy in the country.
He called on family members, friends and associates of the departed community leader, who held the traditional title of Marafan Sokoto, to take solace in the fact that the late Shinkafi played the role assigned to him diligently, conscientiously and patriotically.
Buhari also enjoined them to emulate the good virtues that the late politician had left behind and
prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the soul of the departed eternal rest.
prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the soul of the departed eternal rest.
