Tinubu Mourns as Presidential Media Aide Dies at 48
- Peter Onwubuariri, Assistant Director of Media at the Presidential Villa, died in Kano after a prolonged illness at age 48
- Onwubuariri served in the media teams of three successive Nigerian presidents across more than a decade at the Villa
- President Tinubu described the death as a painful loss to the Presidency, NAN, the media community and the nation
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Peter Onwubuariri, the Assistant Director of Media at the Presidential Villa, died on Monday in Kano at the age of 48 after receiving treatment for roughly a month at the Kano Cancer Hospital under the Kano State Government's treatment authorisation.
Onwubuariri's wife, Catherine Ezinna, confirmed his death and his remains were released from the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital on Tuesday for burial in Owerri, Imo State.
Source: Twitter
Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa, spokesman for Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, handed over the corpse at the hospital to Oche Egwa, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations at the State House, who received it on behalf of presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu mourns veteran journalist
As reported by The Punch, President Bola Tinubu expressed grief over Onwubuariri's death in a statement issued on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, by Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu said the loss was deeply felt across the Presidency, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the media community and the country at large.
"Peter was a dedicated journalist and a committed public servant whose professionalism and calm disposition earned him the respect of his colleagues and associates. His years of service to three administrations are a testament to his competence, integrity and commitment to duty," the President said.
Tinubu added:
"His passing is a great loss to the Presidential Villa, the media fraternity and Nigeria. He will be remembered for his diligence, his wealth of experience and his contributions to journalism and national service."
The President extended his condolences to Onwubuariri's wife, their three children, his extended family, colleagues and friends, praying that God would grant the family strength to bear the loss.
A career spanning 3 administrations
Onwubuariri was a veteran journalist and long-serving NAN staff member who had worked as the agency's North American correspondent before his posting to the Presidential Villa in 2014.
Once there, he rose to serve across the administrations of Presidents Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu, covering issues that ranged from foreign affairs and telecommunications to politics and finance.
Before his posting to the Villa, he had risen through the ranks at NAN, where he served as an Assistant Editor-in-Chief and contributed significantly to the agency's editorial operations.
Tinubu commended him for his dedication, professionalism and steady commitment to duty throughout his career.
Former presidential aide, Ahmad Bashir,Mr said his passing is a great loss to the Media Department in the Villa and to all of us who had the privilege of working with him.
He described the deceased as a good man, a dedicated professional and a true team player.
Popular online publisher dies after sudden illness
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Eagle Online founder Dotun Oladipo suddenly fell ill at his office on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, and died hours later at the hospital.
GOCOP president Danlami Nmodu confirmed the death of Oladipo, a former president of the guild, via its WhatsApp platform.
IMPCMS described Oladipo's passing as a devastating loss to Nigerian journalism after a career spanning nearly three decades.
Source: Legit.ng
