Breaking News - Nigeria's First Executive President, Shehu Shagari Is Dead

Shehu Shagari - Nigeria's 1st Executive President

Bello Shagari, his grandson, confirmed that he died at the National Hospital Abuja, on Friday.

"I regret to announce the death of my grandfather, H.E Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who died right now after brief illness at the National hospital Abuja," he tweeted.

The deceased was president in the second republic, from 1979 to 1983, before he was overthrown in a coup by Muhammadu Buhari. Shagari would have been 94 years on February 25, 2019.

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto state, also took to Twitter to announce the death of the former president who hailed from the state.

A twitter user described him as the only Nigerian president who never stole public funds, and one who died peacefully on Nigerian soil, an indirect shot at the preference for foreign medical treatment by the Nigerian political elite.

Bashir Yusuf, politician and public affairs commentator, said Shagari was the closest thing to a "perfect gentleman".