Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku yesterday wept profusely as the remains of the late former governor, Pharmacist Danbaba Danfulani Suntai, arrived Jalingo.

Suntai will be committed to mother earth today in his hometown of Suntai in Bali Local Government Area of the state.

This is even as the Taraba State Government has concluded plans to immortalise the late former governor by renaming the Jalingo Airport after him.

According to the programme of events outlined by the State Government, the final interment will take place at the late Suntai’s residence after a funeral service to be held at the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo, the state capital city.

The late Suntai passed on in the United States on June 28, 2017 after surviving a fatal plane crash in a private jet piloted by him on Thursday, October 25, 2012 within the precincts of Yola airport.

Earlier yesterday, his body had arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in company of his wife, Mrs. Hauwa Suntai, aboard a British Airways Flight 083 G-VIIN, Airbus 777, 600 Series at about 5:55 a.m. enroute Jalingo and was received by a waiting delegation of the Taraba State Government.

The delegation included the Permanent Secretary, Abuja Liaison Office, Mr. Jeji Williams; the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Darius Ishaku, Hassan Mijinyawa; younger brother of the late Suntai, Hon. Danladi Suntai; Special Assistant to Governor on Transport, Aminu Babale; and Barry Ishaya Noah, an admin officer at Abuja Liaison Office of the State Government.

The remains of the former governor was thereafter moved to the GTA section of the airport by pall bearers from Ebony Funeral Home for its last flight to Jalingo aboard a chartered plane with a registration number 5N-FCT.

Suntai’s wife, children, family members and friends were seen at the same time boarding another chartered aircraft belonging to West-Link Airlines for their journey to Jalingo at about 9:10 a.m. yesterday.

Prominent politicians and friends of the deceased, Alhaji Gambo Lawan, Barrister Damian Dodo (SAN), and a former chairman of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr Jide Adeniji, later joined the family at the GTA section of the airport before their departure to Jalingo. (LEADERSHIP)

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