The outgoing Secretary-General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Mohammed Barkindo, is dead. Okay.ng has learned.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited broke the sad news on his verified Twitter handle:
We lost our esteemed Dr Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo. He died at about 11pm yesterday 5th July 2022. Certainly a great loss to his immediate family, the NNPC, our country Nigeria, the OPEC and the global energy community. Burial arrangements will be announced shortly.
— Mele Kyari (@MKKyari) July 6, 2022
“We lost our esteemed Dr Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo. He died at about 11pm yesterday 5th July 2022,” the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, posted on his verified Twitter handle Wednesday morning.
“Certainly a great loss to his immediate family, the NNPC, our country Nigeria, the OPEC and the global energy community. Burial arrangements will be announced shortly.”
At the time of filing this report, the circumstances surrounding the death of the 63-year old diplomat remain unknown.
Mr Barkindo had met with President Buhari on Tuesday yesterday, during which he announced that his six-year tenure at OPEC was coming to an end.
The President thanked him for being a worthy ambassador of the country, and even directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to mobilise the oil and gas industry to organise a befitting welcome reception in honour of Mr Barkindo when he finally returns home.
Until his death, Muhammad Barkindo was the OPEC Secretary-General since 1st August 2016.
