Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi has expressed shock over the death of a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim (SAN), who died in Abuja on Sunday.

Bello in a statement in Lokoja on Sunday described the demise of the late legal icon as a colossal loss to the state and Nigeria as a whole.

Ibrahim, who hailed from Ankpa in Kogi, was the country’s Minister of Justice between 1997 and 1999.

The governor in the condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mohammed Onogwu, said the late minister was an accomplished legal practitioner and administrator.

“The sterling contributions of the late legal icon to legal profession right from when he was called to the English Bar in 1963 until he reached the pinnacle of his career as a SAN remain remarkable and landmark feat he would continue to be remembered for,” the governor said.

Bello commiserated with the immediate members of his family, the bar and the bench, praying that Almighty Allah would grant Ibrahim’s soul Aljannah firdaus.

The late minister was called to the English Bar in London in 1963 from where he returned to Nigeria in 1964.

He served at various times as Legal Adviser and Senior State Counsel in the defunct Northern Nigeria before embracing private practice in 1973.

Ibrahim also served the nation at different times as Minister of Education, Minister of Science and Technology; Minister of Transport and Aviation; and Minister of Justice from 1997 to 1999.

Until his death, he was a life member of the Body of Benchers and was its Chairman until 2001.

He held the national honors of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) and Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).