Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan, popularly known as Mama Taraba is dead, sources confirmed to The PUNCH on Friday.
She died at 61 in Cairo, Egypt.
“Mama (Al-Hassan) died in a hospital today in Cairo. We will miss her,” a former aide to Al-Hassan, who pleaded anonymity, said on the telephone.
Officials of the Peoples Democratic Party in Taraba State also confirmed her death to one of our correspondents.
Al-Hassan is a former Minister of Women Affairs and a former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from Taraba North Senatorial District.
She was also the All Progressives Congress’ Governorship Candidate for Taraba State in the 2015 general elections.
She contested for the same seat on the platform of the United Democratic Party in the 2019 general elections after resigning as a minister in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari on July 27, 2018.
In a related development, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the death of Hajiya Aisha Al-Hassan, who was Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development during his first term in office.
A statement by the President’s Spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Friday, disclosed that the Nigerian Mission in Cairo, Egypt, announced the passing of the former minister and Senator, popularly known as ”Mama Taraba”
In the condolence message, President Buhari said: ”The demise of the notable politician, Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan. has left many saddened.
”Both in office and out of office, her concern for the education of the girl child, especially those of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, who were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists, shone through.
“Her death is a huge loss not only to the female gender activist community but to the country as a whole.
”Our condolences to her family, friends, National Assembly and government and people of Taraba State.”
