It was a tragic eid-el-kabir for Nigeria as the country this evening lost one of its governors. Danbaba Danfulani Suntai, Governor of Taraba State in the country’s North-East, died suddenly when a private jet said to be piloted by him crashed at the Yola Airport in neighbouring Adamawa State.

A breaking news from Yola said that two security aides flying with Suntai survived the crash and have been rushed to hospital for urgent medical attention.

Born 30 June 1961, Suntai was a pharmacist before entering politics. He rode to power as Executive Governor of Taraba State on the platform of Nigeria’s ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 May 2007. He ran successfully for reelection on 26 April 2011.

His death, on the first of two days declared by the Nigerian Government for the eid-el-kabir, means a dampened mood for the country’s millions of Muslims. The celebration, marking Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac on God’s command, is taking place against the background of violence in the north as a result of the insurgency of the Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram, which had vowed to make the celebration a bloody one.