THE Northern States Governors’ Forum has expressed grief as all 19 states in the North join family members, Arewa elders, government and people of Katsina State to mourn the death of former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie.
Ibrahim Coomassie was until his death the chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a body of elders from northern Nigeria.
The chairman of the governors’ forum, the Borno State helmsman, Kashim Shettima, conveyed the feelings of his colleagues in a message he authorised his spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau, to email to journalists.
“Northern Nigeria has, again, lost one of its legends to the cold and unseen hands of death. The demise of our elder statesman and chairman of highly revered Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is shocking to us and painful.
ALSO READ: Osun governorship primaries and the zoning war
“We share the grief of his family, all our elders within and outside the ACF, our brother, the governor of Katsina, the Emir of Katsina, people of Katsina and, indeed, all sons and daughters of northern Nigeria.
“The late Ibrahim Coomassie served this country well and did his part to promote unity, peace and progress of northern Nigeria. We will forever be grateful to him and our elders for all they have done and continue to do, particularly in guiding those of us in the positions of leadership to work for the benefit of our people. We will miss the sound counsel and advocacy of Ibrahim Coomassie. We pray that Allah grants him Aljanna Firdaus and his family and all of us, the fortitude to bear this demise,” the statement read.
The northern governors said while they recognised the pains of Coomassie’s family, the former IGP had bequeathed a good name, of which his family would always be proud and remembered for.
The governors urged northerners to continue to offer prayers for the repose of all the departed, for the improved health of those living and for the full return of peace in the region.
and then