FRI, 08 JULY, 2022-theGBJournal| President Muhammadu Buhari, on behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria, extends heartfelt condolences to the family of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and to the Government and people of Japan in the wake of the gruesome assassination of former Prime Minister.
Abe, 67, was assassinated Thursday while giving a campaign speech in Southern Japan. He was shot twice in the chest and rushed to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead five later.
‘’The President joins all Japanese in mourning the loss of the country’s longest serving Prime Minister and outstanding leader, assuring the family of Abe of the prayers and thoughts of all Nigerians during this difficult time,’’ a statement from the State House, Abuja reads.
President Buhari recalls that Abe will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Africa and Japan through various initiatives and partnerships, using the instrumentality of Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD)
The President also affirms that under Abe, Nigeria and Japan enjoyed a strategic partnership, supporting each other’s shared aspirations on economic cooperation, healthcare, human resource development, disaster risk reduction, peace and security.
The Nigerian leader prays that the memory of the Japanese statesman and respected international leader will be a blessing to his nation and people, whom he served so devotedly.
Japan’s current prime minister, Fumio Kishida, said he is ‘’lost for words.
Former US President Barack Obama who worked closely with Abe while in office released a statement saying: ‘’I am shocked and saddened by the assassination of my friend and long-time partner Shinzo Abe.’’
Obama said Abe is as ‘’devoted to both the country he served and the extraordinary alliance between the United States and Japan,’’ adding that he will always remember the work they both did to strengthen their alliance.
French President Emmanuel Macron also paid tribute, tweeting: ‘’Japan has lost a great prime minister,’’ adding that Abe ‘’dedicated his life to his country and worked for the stability in the world.’’
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the assassination as ‘’shocking and profoundly disturbing.’’ He hailed Abe as a leader of great vision who brought the relationship between the US and Japan to new heights.
Also, the Chinese Embassy in Japan acknowledged Abe’s contribution towards improving China-Japan relations during his term and expressed condolences on his death to his family.
Meanwhile, Japan police official said Friday, the suspect in the assassination of the former prime minister used a handmade gun to kill him. The officials say they found several handmade weapons at the home of the suspect, 41-year old Tetsuya Yamagami.
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