A close associate of President Muhammadu Buhari and Second Republic minister, Ismaila Isa-Funtua, has died.

Mr Isa-Funtua died Monday night while keeping a doctor’s appointment, according to family sources.

He is suspected to have died of cardiac arrest as he was not known to be seriously sick.

The Katsina-born newspaper publisher and industrialist was a minister under the civilian administration of Shehu Shagari.

A member of the 1994-1995 Constitutional Conference, he was also the founder of Bulet International Nigeria Limited, which built some of the iconic public buildings in Abuja.

A relative of the deceased octogenarian, Mohammed Isa, confirmed the news of his death to PREMIUM TIMES.