Ex-union leader Kokori dies on 80th birthday

Fiery elder statesman and former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, has died after a month’s battle with a kidney-related ailment.

He died coincidentally on his 80th birthday in the early hours of Thursday.

His death, which was confirmed by doctors around 6:40 am, was announced by one of his personal assistants, Ovumedia Tobore, through an SMS.

Tobore said Chief Kokori’s health relapsed on Monday and he was placed on life support.

The octogenarian cried out from his hospital bed on November 9 that he had been neglected and abandoned to die despite his contributions to the growth of democracy in the country.