Kogi declares three-day mourning for former governor Ibrahim Idris

The Kogi State Government has declared three days of mourning following the death of former governor Ibrahim Idris.

Governor Ahmed Ododo also directed that the Nigerian and Kogi State flags be flown at half-mast across government offices and other designated public institutions throughout the mourning period.

Mr Ododo announced the measures on Sunday in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo.

The governor also announced that Mr Idris would be accorded a state burial, with the state government taking responsibility for the burial expenses and arrangements.

The announcement followed the death of the former governor in the United Kingdom on Sunday. He was 77.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Idris’s nephew, Shehu Ahmed, confirmed his death after unverified reports circulated on social media.

According to the Kogi State Government, Mr Ododo visited the former governor’s residence to commiserate with members of his family.

In a condolence message, the governor described Mr Idris’s death as a loss to Kogi State and Nigeria and recalled his years in public service.

Mr Idris governed Kogi on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 2003 until January 2012, although a Supreme Court judgment later held that his constitutional tenure had expired earlier.

Natasha pays tribute

Meanwhile, the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has joined other political figures in mourning the former governor.

In a condolence statement issued in Abuja, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan described Mr Idris as an important figure in Kogi’s political history and the PDP.

She said his years in public service contributed to the state’s political development and expressed condolences to his family, political associates and the people of Kogi State.

The senator said Kogi and the PDP would miss the former governor’s experience and knowledge of the state’s political history.

Popularly known as “Ibro,” Mr Idris was Kogi’s longest-serving governor.

Details of the burial had yet to be announced at the time of filing this report.