Abuja – The Shehu of Bama, Kyari Ibn Umar Elkanemi, is dead.
The monarch, who was in his mid-60s, died in his home in Maiduguri at about 3 p.m., according to the Borno State information commissioner, Babakura Jato.
More details of the monarch’s death have not been disclosed. But the information commissioner had while announcing the development at the briefing of the COVID-19 committee Monday evening, said: “his death has nothing to do with coronavirus pandemic.”
The deceased emir has been living in Maiduguri, outside his domain, for the past six years since his emirate, Bama, was dislodged and taken by Boko Haram.
Though his palace was rebuilt in 2018, the monarch has not fully returned to Bama, a town that is still functioning as a garrison town and IDP camp for other displaced communities.
Mr Jato said, “the state government stands with the royal family and the people of Bama, the state’s council of chiefs and entire people of the state in this grieving period.”
