How Niger rep died ‘in his sleep’ — after a trip to Lagos

Ja’afaru Iliyasu, a member of the house of representatives from Niger state, went to bed peacefully on Sunday night but did not wake up on Monday morning.

Sources close to the late lawmaker confirmed that he died in his sleep after returning from a trip to Lagos state on Sunday.

The deceased, who was based in Abuja, was in Lagos for a retreat organised for members of the house committee on public accounts.

“He came back from Lagos yesterday; everybody said “good night, good night. Only for him not to wake up this morning,” a source close to the lawmaker told TheCable.

Iliyasu, who represented Magama/Rijau federal constituency, was a first term lawmaker.

In their separate condolences, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house; and Idris Wase, the deputy speaker; expressed shock at the news of the lawmaker’s demise.

Gbajabiamila said he was “deeply shaken” by Iliyasu’s death, adding that the late colleague was a “gentleman and a determined lawmaker who wanted to make his mark in service to his country.”

“Within the last few months that he had been in the House, he proved himself to be a worthy legislator,” the speaker said in a statement from Lanre Lasisi, his spokesman.

“I must say that I am pained just like my other colleagues over his demise. I pray the Almighty Allah grants him Jannatul Firdaus as his final abode.”