The Presidential Villa is in mourning following the passing of Peter Onwubuariri, an Assistant Director of Media, who died in Kano at the age of 48 after a prolonged illness.
Onwubuariri, a veteran staff member of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), passed away on Monday. He had been receiving medical care for about a month at the Kano Cancer Hospital under a treatment authorization provided by the Kano State Government. His wife, Catherine Ezinna Onwubuariri, confirmed his death.
Following his passing, his remains were released from the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital on Tuesday to be transported to Owerri, Imo State, for burial. Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, spokesperson to Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, officially handed over the corpse to Oche Egwa, the Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations at the State House, who received it on behalf of Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
President Bola Tinubu expressed deep grief over the loss, characterizing the departure of the journalist and public servant as a painful hit to the Presidency, NAN, the broader media community, and the country as a whole.
In a statement released Tuesday through Onanuga, President Tinubu noted that Onwubuariri—who previously served as NAN’s North American correspondent—was posted to the Presidential Villa in 2014. Throughout his tenure, he served on the media teams of three consecutive presidential administrations: those of Presidents Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari, and Bola Tinubu.
Over the course of his career, Onwubuariri reported on major national and international beats, including foreign affairs, telecommunications, politics, and finance. President Tinubu praised his steadfast dedication, professional excellence, and commitment to public service.
Tinubu stated, “Peter was a dedicated journalist and a committed public servant whose professionalism and calm disposition earned him the respect of his colleagues and associates. His years of service to three administrations are a testament to his competence, integrity and commitment to duty. His passing is a great loss to the Presidential Villa, the media fraternity and Nigeria. He will be remembered for his diligence, his wealth of experience and his contributions to journalism and national service.”
The President offered his heartfelt condolences to Onwubuariri’s wife, Catherine, his three children, extended family members, colleagues, and friends, offering prayers for strength for the family and eternal rest for the deceased.
Prior to his assignment at the Presidential Villa, where he also served as an Assistant Editor-in-Chief, Onwubuariri had steadily advanced through the ranks at NAN, leaving a lasting mark on the agency’s newsroom and editorial operations.
