Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, was today (Saturday) struck with grief as hundreds of mourners turned out from within and outside the state to bid their foremost elder statesman, Shettima Ali Monguno, final goodbye.
Mr. Monguno, a former Minister of Petroleum died at 95 in his home, adjacent the Borno Government House, Maiduguri, on Friday.
The elder statesman was given a befitting state burial as his funeral rite was carried out at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai Alamin Elkanemi.
Hundreds of mourners wept profusely as the remains of nonagenarian left his GRA Maiduguri home for the Shehu’s palace.
A delegation of of the Federal Government, led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, and National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno, joined other multitudes of mourners to fill up the expansive Shehu’s palace.
Security personnels and government protocol officials who organised for the funeral prayers of the philanthropist to be held outside the palace became overwhelmed by the surging crowd. The corpse had to be placed inside the inner chambers of the palace to avoid stampede, while other congregated outside for the prayers.
Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, and his deputy, Usman Mamman Durkwa, led other officials of the state government to attend the funeral.
The Chief Imam of Borno, Liyasu Ibrahim Ahmad, led other Islamic clerics to perform the funeral prayers for the late Nigeria’s former permanent representative at the United Nations General Assembly.
After the prayers, the remains of the late sage was interred at Gwange Cemetery in Maiduguri.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that only respected illustrious sons of Borno are accorded such burial formalities in the palace of the Shehu.
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