Abubakar Rimi, former governor of old Kano State, died yesterday after an armed robbery attack, according to an official of the Kano State police command, Baba Mohammed.

Mr. Mohammed said the late Rimi was on his way returning to Kano from Bauchi, alongside his younger brother Sule Sa’a, his driver and a police escort, when they were attacked by armed bandits between Darki and Gadar Jarna village, fifty kilometers away from kano.

Mr. Mohammed, a superintendent who is the Kano State police public relations officer, confirmed Mr. Rimi’s sudden demise to journalists yesterday at the Bompai headquarters of the police command.

Mr. Mohammed further disclosed that the late Rimi was robbed of his belongings just as his younger brother sustained injuries during the robbery attack that took place around 10.30pm.

Mr. Mohammed said the robbers were local bandits that use sticks and daggers to attack commuters that usually ply the road at night.

Mr. Mohammed disclosed that when Rimi saw the injury Sa’a sustained, he started coughing and gasping for breath, so he asked his driver to take him to his personal doctor in Classic Clinic, Kano.

He was subsequently referred to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, but he died in spite of efforts by the doctors to revive him.

A source in the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital who pleaded anonymity said Rimi died before he arrived the hospital.

A family source told NEXT that Rimi is hypertensive and diabetic at the same time and so must have died of cardiac arrest.

He added that immediately the incident was reported to the Kano State Police command, the commissioner of police, Mohammed J. Gana, led a squad of mobile police men to the scene of the robbery but the robbers had escaped before the police arrived.