The death of Umaru Shinkafi, a former head of Nigeria’s secret police, was announced on Wednesday.

According to a statement by Imam Imam, the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affair to the Sokoto state governor, Shinkafi “will be buried on Friday after burial rites are conducted according to Islamic injunction.”

Shinkafi died at “the Harefield Hospital, Hill End Road, Harefield, Middlesex, in the United Kingdom Wednesday afternoon after a prolonged illness.”

“Sources at the Palace of Sultan of Sokoto indicate that the deceased passed away in the company of his wives, children and extended family members.”

Here are five things to known about the late Marafan of Sokoto;

1. Shinkafi was born in Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State in January 1937. He died at the age of 79.
2. He attended the Sokoto Middle School, and later Barewa College, Zaria. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in !974
3. Shinkafi was the pioneer head of the Nigeria Security Organisation (NSO), the nation’s secret police which has been re-branded Department of State Services (DSS), from 1979 to 1983.
4. He was the vice-presidential candidate of Olu Falae in the APP/AD alliance in 1999 in the election. Shinkafi was a one-time acting Federal Commissioner of External Affairs and also headed a number of OAU mediation commissions.
5. In 2012 he was appointed the Pro Chancellor of Sokoto State University and was a one time Chairman of International bank for West Africa.

Mazi Emeka