Mrs. Briskila Dalung, first wife to Nigeria’s Sports and Youth Development Minister Solomon Dalung, is dead.

Mr Genshak Golak, Dalung’s Personal Assistant, who confirmed the death, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Sunday, that “she died on Sunday morning after a brief illness”.

“She died in a private hospital in Jos,” said Golak, who however, refused to give further details.

A NAN correspondent, who visited the Sabon-Barkin residence of the minister, however met only a security man at the gate.

At Briskila’s personal house at Gada-Biyu, however, grieving sympathisers described Briskila, a senior officer with the Nigeria Prison Service, as “a very jovial and kind lady”.

Her relations and in-laws, however, refused to speak to the press.

“The minister has traveled out of the country and his instruction is that no one should say anything until he returns,” an elderly man told NAN.

NAN reports that Dalung, who posted Briskila’s death on his Facebook, had declared today as a “black Sunday”.

“I am bereaved. My heart is heavy. I cannot continue. I lost my first wife, this morning. May her soul rest in peace. What a black Sunday,” he wrote. (NAN)

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