Buruji Kashamu, a former Nigerian Senator, has died of complications from COVID-19. He was 62 years old.

His close friend, Ben Murray-Bruce who broke the news on Twitter on Saturday in a tweet that read, "I have just lost my good friend of forever to #COVID19. Until his death, Sen. Buruji Kashamu and I were inseparable. He died today at First Cardiology Consultants, in Lagos. May his gentle soul rest in peace. I pray his family and loved ones the fortitude to bear this heavy loss."

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Kashamu, who represented Ogun-East senatorial district between 2015 and 2019 as a member of the 8th Senate, reportedly died of COVID-19 at the First Cardiology Consultants, Lagos. His death was announced by his friend, Ben Murray-Bruce, in a tweet.

The former Senator passed away in the same hospital where a former Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi; and the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, had been admitted before they died. This made him the the third politician and high-profile Nigerian to die of COVID-19 complications at First Cardiology Consultants.

According to reports, Kashamu, who reportedly had diabetes and high blood pressure, had been admitted at the hospital for over a week before he passed away.

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Kashamu, who was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 election, was the founder of Western Lotto Limited, one of Nigeria’s lottery operators. He was wanted for years in the United States for alleged drug offenses. He always denied the allegations.

In 2015, there was a stand-off at his residence after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) attempted to arrest him for extradition to the US. He challenged the attempt to extradite in court until his death.

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