A Nigerian diplomat, Habibu Almustapha, according to two security sources, was found dead on Thursday in his home in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.
Though the police were investigating the incident and are yet to provide no details on how he died, however it was gathered that the officials from the Nigerian Embassy in Khartoum were not immediately available to comment.
Dubai-based al-Arabiya television, however, identified the diplomat as the consul general and described his death as an “assassination.” Reports on social media suggested the killers used a knife in the attack.
Though intermittent violence is common in the country’s warring southern and western regions, violence in the capital is rare. Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was awaiting a detailed report on the killing, as its spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was awaiting a detailed report on the killing.
“The ministry has received the sad news of the untimely death of the immigration attache in our Mission in Khartoum, Sudan.
“We are awaiting further/detailed report from the Mission after which a statement would be issued” it read in part.
Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has in recent months shaken up the security establishment, replacing the heads of the army and intelligence service in February.
In 2017, Russia’s ambassador to Sudan reportedly died of a heart attack, becoming the eighth Russian diplomat to pass away unexpectedly in the past 10 months. Mirgayas Shirinsky, 62, was found dead on Wednesday at his Khartoum residence.
Maria Zakharova, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, told journalists on Thursday that the ambassador had been “found with signs of an acute heart attack”.
“Embassy employees called a doctor, but unfortunately he was unable to save (Mr) Shirinsky,” she said.
Police told AFP he had “died while he was swimming in his pool at his house” but that an initial investigation had ruled out foul play. Mr Shirinsky is at least the eighth foreign ministry official to die since late last year.
