Former President Muhammadu Buhari mourned the passing on Sunday of his classmate and former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Zakari Ibrahim.
The titleholder of Talban Katsina served as the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency from 1993 to 1998.
He was a Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in the early 1990s and, in 2011, served as an advisor to the Nigerian government on counterterrorism.
In a condolence message to the bereaved family, the Governor, Dr Dikko Umar Radda, the Emir of Katsina, Dr Abdulmuminu Kabir Usman, the government and people of the state, the former President, in a statement yesterday, his media aide, Garba Shehu, described Talba’s death as a loss to him personally, the state and the nation.
He recalled the deceased’s enormous contributions to security intelligence and management when he was in and even out of government, saying that the nation would greatly miss his services.
“From the very beginning of his career, Ambassador Zakari established a reputation for an unwavering commitment to his work.
He possessed a vast knowledge of his chosen field, a skill for spotting talents for handling sensitive assignments, and an ability to recall details, which made him an ideal intelligence officer.
“In his passing, Nigeria’s intelligence and strategic community has lost one of its finest minds and rare role models. May Allah accept his deeds and preserve his legacy.”
