Top aide of Nigerian president dies from COVID-19

Mallam Abba Kyari, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's chief of staff, has died while receiving treatment for COVID-19, a presidential statement confirmed early Saturday.

Kyari, who was in his 70s and had underlying health conditions, died on Friday. He was notably one of the closest allies of Buhari.

The top presidential aide tested positive for the coronavirus after he returned from an official trip to Germany in March.

On March 29, he personally confirmed this in a statement, saying he was on his way to a health facility in the country's commercial hub, Lagos, for treatment.

In the same statement, Kyari had said he felt well and was asymptomatic.

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control on Friday confirmed a total of 493 COVID-19 cases and 17 deaths across the country.