Pope Francis: Poor, migrants lost a friend, says Buhari

Former president Muhammadu Buhari says Pope Francis death will be most felt by the poor and migrants whom he stood up for.

In a statement by Malam Garba Shehu, his spokesman, Buhari said Christians in Nigeria and across the world would miss an exemplary leader of the church.

The former President joined Christians all across the world in mourning the demise of the Head of the Catholic Church, who departed the earth on Easter Monday.

“He was a pope who served the poor and the weak, and cared much about migrants and refugees.

“He strove to build a beneficial, complementary relationship between the followers of the world’s two greatest religions-Islam and Christianity.

“Just hours before his demise, he made a call for an end to the war in Gazzah.

“I hope Israel and Hamas will heed this call as a final respect to the Pope who had the distinction of bringing climate change to the Vatican and recognising the Palestinian State,” he said.

The former president wished for a new leader who would build on the inspiring legacies of Pope Francis.

Francis died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday.

In the weeks before his death, he had been making fewer public appearances to be treated for chronic lung disease, including a respiratory crisis and pneumonia.

He made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday.