Hadiza Jega, wife of former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has died. The announcement was confirmed in a statement released by Bayero University, Kano, where Jega previously served as Vice-Chancellor. The university expressed deep sorrow, quoting the Islamic phrase: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un." No cause of death or specific date of passing was disclosed in the statement.
Prof. Attahiru Jega served as INEC chairman from 2010 to 2015, overseeing Nigeria's 2011 and 2015 general elections. He later became Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, a position he held until 2020. Tributes have begun to pour in from across academic and political circles, though specific names were not mentioned in the initial announcement. The family has not yet released details about burial arrangements.
The passing of Hadiza Jega removes a quiet presence behind one of Nigeria's most prominent academic and electoral figures. Given Prof. Attahiru Jega's role in managing two national elections, the personal loss occurs at a time when public trust in electoral integrity remains under national scrutiny. Her death means a private grief is now shared in a very public light. For Nigerians, it humanizes a man often seen only through the weight of institutional duty.
