Former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, has reportedly died in the United Kingdom at the age of 77.
Sources disclosed the development on Sunday, although details surrounding his reported death were still sketchy as of press time.
Idris served as governor of Kogi State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), first from 2003 to 2008 and subsequently from 2008 to 2012. He was succeeded by Captain Idris Wada in January 2012.
Born in 1949 in Idah, Kogi State, Idris began his early education in Onitsha, Anambra State, before completing his primary education in Kano. He later attended King’s Commercial College, Buguma, Rivers State, and obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Abuja.
Before entering politics, Idris was a businessman. He founded Ibro Trading Company, with interests spanning construction, furniture manufacturing and hospitality. He also established a furniture factory in Sokoto and the Ibro Hotel, which biographical records describe as the first three-star hotel in the old Sokoto State.
Idris emerged as the PDP governorship candidate in the 2003 Kogi State election and defeated the incumbent governor, Prince Abubakar Audu. He was sworn in on May 29, 2003.
He was re-elected in 2007, but the election was subsequently nullified following a legal challenge arising from the exclusion of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) candidate, Abubakar Audu, from the election.
The Court of Appeal upheld the judgment in February 2008 and ordered a fresh election. Idris contested the March 2008 re-run and was returned as governor, although his victory was again challenged by Audu over alleged electoral irregularities.
Idris eventually completed his tenure in January 2012.
The former governor also attracted national attention in 2006 when three of his daughters survived the ADC Airlines Flight 53 crash, which claimed numerous lives. At the time, Idris described their survival as a “superlative show of mercy” from God and called for thanksgiving.
In April 2024, Idris suffered another major family loss when his son, Mohammed Ibrahim Idris, a former member of the House of Representatives representing Ankpa, Olamaboro and Omala Federal Constituency of Kogi State, died in Abuja shortly after observing Eid-el-Fitr prayers.
More details on the reported death are expected as family and official sources respond.
