President Muhammadu Buhari has sent his deepest condolences to President Joe Biden, the government and the people of the United States, on the passing of the former Secretary of State, General Colin Powell.
This was contained in a statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President Media and Publicity, on Monday.
The President believed that as the first African American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest military position in the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as the first African American Secretary of State, Powell was a great statesman and a global icon in every sense of it.
The Nigerian leader recounted that as U.S Secretary of State, Powell played a very important role in advancing his country’s foreign policy and national defence interests.
According to him, Powell was also a great advocate of the eradication of Polio and in addressing the deadly spread of HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa.
President Buhari’s prayered and thoughts are with General Powell’s family and the people of the United States as they mourn the death of an exceptional leader and one of America’s greatest pride, who as a professional soldier, a distinguished public servant and an effective diplomat, gave his utmost for his country.