The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, has expressed shock over the death of Hon Joseph Haruna Duza, who represented Munya Constituency in the House.
The Speaker, in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mallam Shamsudeen Lawal Binaira, described the demise of the lawmaker as a painful loss.
The late Hon Joseph Haruna, a retired Air Force officer, died at a private hospital in Minna, the state capital, on Friday after a brief illness.
Sarkindaji described the late Joseph Haruna, who was also the Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Security and Intelligence, as one of the most vibrant members whose contributions on the floor of the House will be greatly missed.
He explained that the contribution of the late lawmaker to the development of his Constituency within this short period in the state assembly was unparalleled, as he was very consistent and vocal about the security situation affecting his Munya Constituency and the state in general.
“The news of the death of the lawmaker, who only last week attended a security meeting in the House of Assembly, came as a great shock,” Sarkindaji said.
“The late Duza, as he was popularly called during plenary by fellow members, offered quality representation of his Constituency regardless of party affiliation.”
“He will not only be missed by his immediate family, his Constituency, and the state House of Assembly, but by the entire state. He was very passionate about security issues in his Constituency and the state in general,” Sarkindaji stated.
The Speaker then prayed that God Almighty grant his soul eternal rest and give the family, the people of his Constituency, and the state House of Assembly the fortitude to bear this loss.
Niger Assembly reacts to death of Joseph Haruna