Nigeria's ex-president Shagari dies

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - Nigeria's former President Usman Shehu Shagari died on Friday. He was 93.

“I regret to announce the death of former President Shagari who just passed away at the National Hospital,” Aminu Tambuwal, governor of northwestern Sokoto State where Shagari hailed from, said on his official twitter account on Friday night.

His grandson, Bello Shagari, also confirmed his death.

Shagari, one of the earliest college-educated persons from Nigeria's northern region, was the country's first executive president. He was in office from 1979 and 1983.

In December, 1983 shortly after winning a second term, Shagari was overthrown in a bloodless coup which saw then-Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari taking over power.

After the Nigerian 30-month civil war, Shagari was appointed from 1970-1971 the federal commissioner for economic development, rehabilitation and reconstruction which sought to reintegrate the country just emerging from the ruins of a bloody war.