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| Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki |
The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has expressed shock over the sudden passing of a former Internal Affairs Minister, General John Shagaya (rtd), who died in a motor accident Sunday.
The governor who condoled with the family of the late retired General said Shagaya’s death was a loss to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the nation as he was until his demise, a chieftain of the APC in Plateau State.
According to reports, the 75-year-old retired army general was on his way to Jos from his village in Langtang, when the accident occurred at Amper in Kanke Local Government of Plateau State.
“He was a strong advocate of a united, progressive and prosperous Nigeria and his contributions will be greatly missed as the nation’s democracy continues to evolve,” Obaseki noted.
Born in Langtang North, on Sept. 2, 1942, Shagaya served as minister of internal affairs under military President Ibrahim Babangida, and represented Plateau South in the senate from 2007-2011.
Shagaya, who attended Junior Primary School at Nyer and Sudan United Mission (S.U.M) Primary School, Langtang between 1952-1959, later went to the Nigeria Military School (N.M.S) Zaria in 1960-1964.
After graduation from the Nigeria Military school, Zaria, Shagaya was posted to the Nigerian Army Corps before attending the first short service Combatant Commission Course at Nigeria Defence Academy (N.D.A) Kaduna, in 1967.
He was posted to 3 Marine Command upon commission, where he participated in the Nigeria Civil War from 1967-1970.
Shagaya became the first Field Commander to chair the Conference of the Joint Chief of Staff of the enlarged ECOMOG having Commanded the 1st Mechanised Division in the Nigerian Army including a Platoon, Company, Battalion and Brigade.
