Tragically, after a three-year battle with diabetes, Warrant Officer Lawal Mato, one of President Buhari’s bodyguards, passed away on Tuesday.
President Buhari, in a statement released by Presidential aide Femi Adesina, fondly described the officer as “very thorough, trustworthy and dependable soldier who carried out his duty with diligence and focus”, highlighting his long-standing service even before Buhari’s 2015 election victory.
The President offered prayers for the deceased, asking Allah to ease his passage to paradise and grant his family, as well as the government and people of Jigawa State, the fortitude to bear the loss.
Prior to his passing, the deceased had been off full duty for three years, receiving treatment for diabetes. He was part of a team that former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua had reinstated to President Buhari as part of his personal security detail.