President Muhammadu Buhari has extended Nigeria’s condolences to the family of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and to the Government and people of Japan in the wake of his gruesome assassination.
“The President joins all Japanese in mourning the loss of the country’s longest serving Prime Minister and outstanding leader, assuring the family of Abe of the prayers and thoughts of all Nigerians during this difficult time”, said a statement issued by the Nigerian presidency on Friday.
President Buhari said that Abe would be remembered for his unwavering commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Africa and Japan through various initiatives and partnerships, using the instrumentality of Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD).
The President also affirmed that under Abe, Nigeria and Japan enjoyed a strategic partnership, supporting each other’s shared aspirations on economic cooperation, healthcare, human resource development, disaster risk reduction, peace and security.
“The Nigerian leader prays that the memory of the Japanese statesman and respected international leader will be a blessing to his nation and people, whom he served so devotedly”, the statement added.
Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister, was confirmed dead by officials after he was shot on Friday while delivering a speech ahead of a parliamentary election when a man armed with an apparently homemade gun opened fire at him from behind.
He collapsed and showed no sign of life after he was shot twice in the western city of Nara, local media reported.
