Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The death of former Kogi State Governor Alhaji Ibrahim Idris has plunged the state into mourning, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo declaring a three-day period of grief and ordering that the national and state flags be flown at half-mast across government offices and designated public institutions. The announcement followed the confirmation that Idris, who governed Kogi State from 2003 to 2012 and was popularly known as Ibro, died on Sunday, September 20, 2026, in the United Kingdom at the age of 77.
Governor Ododo, accompanied by former Governor Yahaya Bello and other senior government officials, visited the Abuja residence of the late former governor to commiserate with the Idris family. In a condolence letter signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, the governor described Idris's death as a profound loss to Kogi State and Nigeria, saying the former governor was an eminent son who devoted a significant part of his life to the service of the people. The governor also announced that the late former governor would receive a state burial, with the Kogi State Government taking full responsibility for all burial expenses and making the necessary arrangements to accord him the honour befitting a former governor of the state.
Idris's journey in public service spanned nearly a decade and was marked by both achievement and legal turbulence. Born in 1949 in Idah, present-day Kogi State, he began his early education in Onitsha, Anambra State, before completing his primary education in Kano. He later attended King's Commercial College in Buguma, Rivers State, and obtained a bachelor's degree in Law from the University of Abuja. Before entering politics, Idris was a successful businessman, founding Ibro Trading Company, with interests spanning construction, furniture manufacturing, and hospitality. He also established a furniture factory and the Ibro Hotel in Sokoto.
He was first elected governor of Kogi State in 2003 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, defeating the then-incumbent, Prince Abubakar Audu, and was sworn in on May 29, 2003. He was re-elected in 2007, but the election was subsequently nullified following a legal challenge. The Court of Appeal upheld the decision in February 2008 and ordered a fresh election. Idris went on to win the March 2008 re-run election and returned to office, completing his tenure in January 2012, when he was succeeded by Captain Idris Wada. His nearly nine-year tenure made him one of the longest-serving civilian governors in Kogi State's history.
Governor Ododo noted that the administration of the late former governor witnessed important interventions in infrastructure, education, healthcare and other critical sectors, adding that the impact of his years in office would remain part of the developmental history of Kogi State. "Beyond the projects and policies associated with his administration, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris would be remembered as a public servant who committed himself to the responsibilities entrusted to him by the people," the governor said. "His years in public office formed an important chapter in the political and developmental journey of Kogi State".
The governor urged the family to draw strength from the enduring memories of the deceased's service and the positive impact he made on the lives of many people, saying that while the state mourned the former governor, his death also provided an opportunity to reflect on a life dedicated to public service and the growth of Kogi State. He extended his deepest condolences to the Idris family, friends, associates, and all those who mourn the former governor, and prayed that Almighty Allah would forgive his shortcomings, grant him Aljannatul Firdaus, and give the family and the people of Kogi State the strength to bear the irreparable loss.
The death comes two years after the passing of Idris's son, Mohammed Ibrahim Idris, a former member of the House of Representatives representing Ankpa/Olamaboro/Omala Federal Constituency, who died in Abuja in April 2024 at the age of 55. At the time, Governor Ododo had described Mohammed's death as a tragic loss and condoled with the Idris family.
The circumstances surrounding Ibrahim Idris's death had not been publicly disclosed as of Sunday evening. While some reports cited sources as saying the former governor had suffered a protracted illness, there was no detailed official account of the cause of death in the reports available at the time of publication. His death marks the passing of one of the prominent political figures associated with Kogi State's Fourth Republic history, a man whose tenure spanned a period of significant political and developmental change in the state.
As the state enters three days of mourning, the flags at half-mast serve as a sombre reminder of a life that shaped Kogi's political trajectory. For the people of Kogi State, the loss is both personal and political. Ibrahim Idris was not just a former governor; he was a businessman, a family patriarch, and a figure whose influence extended far beyond the walls of government. His legacy will be debated and remembered in the years to come, but for now, the state he once governed pauses to honour his memory and reflect on the contributions he made to its development.
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