Breaking: Top Former Nigerian Finance Minister Abubakar Dies in Abuja, Photo Emerges
- Abubakar Alhaji, who served as Nigeria's high commissioner to the United Kingdom, died on Thursday, July 30, 2026
- A source confirmed the former diplomat and ex-finance minister had been receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Abuja before his demise
- The late Alhaji's family and relevant authorities are expected to announce details of his burial arrangements soon
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - Abubakar Alhaji, a former Nigerian high commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), reportedly died on Thursday morning, July 30, 2026, at a hospital in Abuja. He was in his 80s.
As reported by Daily Trust, "a reliable source" who spoke on condition of anonymity disclosed that Alhaji had been receiving medical treatment at the facility before his death. No further details about his condition were provided.
Source: Twitter
Nigeria loses Abubakar Alhaji
According to This Day, the late Alhaji was also a former finance minister. Alhaji served as minister of state, budget and planning in 1988. He later served as minister of finance between 1990 and 1991 during the administration of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida.
Alhaji was widely respected for his career in diplomacy and his contributions to Nigeria's public life. His tenure as high commissioner to the United Kingdom placed him at the centre of the country's foreign engagements, and he was regarded as a significant figure in national development.
His death marks the passing of one of Nigeria's elder statesmen whose work spanned diplomacy and governance over several decades.
Formal details surrounding his death, including funeral and burial arrangements, are yet to be made public. His family and relevant authorities are expected to release official statements in due course.
See a Facebook photo post of the late Abubakar Alhaji below:
Governor mourns Jabbi Maradun
In the same vein, Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal has expressed his condolences to the family of retired diplomat, Muhammad Maradun Jabbi.
The late Jabbi passed away at the age of 82 in Abuja after a prolonged illness.
A statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, described Jabbi as a dedicated elder statesman who worked tirelessly to ensure the creation of Zamfara state.
Ex-Ambassador to China, AbdulAzeez, is dead
Similarly, a retired top intelligence officer at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Nigeria’s former ambassador to China, Ambassador Sheikh Uthman AbdulAzeez, has died.
The 71-year-old AbdulAzeez died after a brief illness.
The passing of the Ilorin, Kwara State-born diplomat and former president of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) was confirmed by the incumbent president of the Union, Alh AbdulMumin AbdulMalik.
Diplomat Mohammed Lele dies in Turkey
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigeria’s diplomatic community was thrown into mourning following the death of seasoned envoy, Mohammed Mahmud Lele, who passed away in Turkey after a prolonged illness.
The late diplomat, who served as director overseeing the Middle East and Gulf division at the ministry of foreign affairs, died just weeks after his appointment as Ambassador-designate to Algeria.
Born in 1976 in Gamawa, Bauchi state, Lele was an Economics graduate of Bayero University, Kano and joined Nigeria’s foreign service in 2001. Over the years, he was said to have built a reputation for diligence and professionalism, representing Nigeria in key missions across Berlin, Lome, and Riyadh.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
