A former Minister of Information and former Military Administrator of Rivers State, Brigadier General Anthony Ukpo (rtd) has died on Monday 6th September 2021.
The death of the illustrious military officer from Yala local government area has been described as a heavy loss to the people of Cross River state by the State governor, Ben Ayade.
“As a state, we are pained by the loss of this thoroughbred officer, an illustrious son of Cross River. General Ukpo’s death has robbed our dear State of his wise counsel. He was forthright and a partner in building across River of our dream.”
Gov. Ayade in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Christian Ita said General Ukpo’s demise was a tragic and monumental loss to Cross River in particular and Nigeria in general.
The governor, however, commiserates with the family and the military over the death of a late officer with a distinguished career.
Ukpo was a former instructor at the Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna and in 1985, he was appointed deputy Director, Defence Intelligence Agency
He was also a member of the inner circle of army officers who arranged the bloodless coup on 27 August 1985 when General Muhammadu Buhari was replaced by General Ibrahim Babangida.