Maikanti Baru, the immediate past Group Managing (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is dead, aged 60.
This was disclosed by his successor, Myele Kari, who is the current NNPD GMD.
Confirming Baru’s demise, Kyari, tweeted it Friday night, describing him as his “brother, friend and mentor.”
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“My brother, my friend and my mentor, Dr Maikanti Kachalla Baru, immediate past GMD of NNPC died late last night.
“He was of exemplary character and disposition. May Allah forgive him and have mercy upon him,” Kyari said.
My brother, my friend and my mentor, Dr Maikanti Kachalla Baru, immediate past GMD of NNPC died late last night. He was of exemplary character and disposition. May Allah forgive him and have mercy upon him.
— Mele Kyari (@MKKyari) May 30, 2020
Born July 1959 in Misau, Bauchi State, Baru attended Federal Government College, Jos for his secondary education where he graduated in 1978.
Thereafter, he obtained his bachelor of engineering degree from Ahmadu Bello University in 1982, and a doctorate degree in Computer Aided Engineering from the University of Sussex.
After his education, Baru joined the Jos Steel Rolling Company, where he worked for three years from 1988 before he left to join the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in 1991 as an Engineering Manager.
There at NNPC, Baru held various positions, including General Manager, Gas Development Division from 1997 to 1999 and worked briefly as Executive Director, Operations Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) in 1999.
At NGC, for a five-year period, from 1999 to 2004, Baru served as the Chief Technical Negotiator on the West African Gas Pipeline project.
Later on, Baru became a GGM, National Petroleum Investment Management Services, having once served as GGM, Liquefied Natural Gas.
On July 4, 2016, Baru was appointed as the 18th Group Managing Director of NNPC, a position he held until he reached the statutory age of 60, and retired on July 7, 2019.
He was succeeded by Mele Kyari.
Baru had lived a private life after office until he died on Friday, May 29, 2020 from an undisclosed illness.
