Senator Bukar: dead

Senator Bukar Mustapha, representing Katsina North Senatorial District in the National Assembly is dead.

Mustapha who represented the senatorial district of President Muhammadu Buhari in the National Assembly died after a brief illness, it was gathered on Wednesday.

.He was aged 63.

Alhaji Kanta Bukar, the elder brother of the deceased, confirmed the death and said that Bukar died in the early hours of Wednesday at the Nizamiye Hospital, Abuja.

He said the deceased was survived by two wives and 12 children, including Dr Ibrahim Bukar of the Nigerian Communications Commission.

He said the deceased would be buried in Daura today.

Bukar described the death of his elder brother as an irreplaceable loss to the family, the state and the nation in general, stressing he was a bridge builder.

Malam Ahmed Abdullahi, the Personal Assistant to the late senator, described him as a hard working lawmaker, who represented his people diligently.

Abdullahi said the district would remember Bukar as one of the few lawmakers who represented the zone with commitment and dedication.

Bukar (APC) returned to Nigeria in March after spending one month in the UK on a medical mission.

Senator Bukar was the second senator to die in weeks, after Senator Ali Wakili, 58, who represented Bauchi south in the senate.

According to a biographical sketch published by National Assembly, Bukar  was born in  Daura in December 1953. He finished his primary education in Daura in 1968, and thereafter went to Government Secondary School, Katsina. He graduated in 1973.

He also attended School of Basic Studies in Zaria(1975), from where he gained admission to read Engineering at Ahmadu Bello University. He graduated with a Bachelors in 1978.

After the National Youth Service, he worked as project manager for the Kaduna State Water Board and later as general manager.

He retired in 2008 as director of Katsina State Water Board.

It will be recalled that the deputy majority leader of the House of Representatives, Umar Jibril, died after a protracted illness less than a week ago, while another senator, Ali Wakili, also passed on less than a month ago.