Onwubuariri reportedly died on Monday in Kano, where he had been undergoing treatment for about a month at the Kano Cancer Hospital under an authorisation from the Kano State Government.
His wife, Catherine Ezinna Onwubuariri, confirmed his death.
Following his death, his remains were released from the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital on Tuesday for transportation to Owerri, Imo State, where he is expected to be buried.
The remains were formally handed over to Oche Egwa, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations at the State House, on behalf of the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The handover took place at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, with Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa, spokesperson to Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, representing the state government.
President Bola Tinubu has expressed grief over the death, describing it as a significant loss to the Presidency, NAN, the journalism profession and Nigeria.
In a condolence statement issued on Tuesday by Onanuga, the President praised the late journalist for his professionalism, dedication and years of service.
Onwubuariri was posted to the
Presidential Villa in 2014 after working with NAN, where he had built a career spanning several years. He subsequently served on the media teams of three successive administrations led by Presidents Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu.
During his career, he covered major national and international issues, including politics, foreign affairs, telecommunications and financial matters. He also previously served as NAN’s North American correspondent.
Tinubu said Onwubuariri’s ability, professionalism and calm disposition earned him the respect of colleagues and associates throughout his career.
“Peter was a dedicated journalist and a committed public servant whose professionalism and calm disposition earned him the respect of his colleagues and associates. His years of service to three administrations are a testament to his competence, integrity and commitment to duty,” the President said.
Tinubu added that the journalist’s death was a major loss to the Presidential Villa, the media community and the country, noting that he would be remembered for his diligence, experience and contributions to journalism and public service.
The President condoled with Onwubuariri’s wife, his three children, other members of the family, colleagues and friends.
He prayed for strength for the bereaved family and eternal rest for the deceased.
Before his posting to the Presidential Villa, Onwubuariri had risen through the ranks at NAN and attained the position of Assistant Editor-in-Chief, contributing to the agency’s editorial and journalistic operations.
