Lawrence Olaoye 
Former President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the poor and migrants lost a friend with the death of Pope Francis.
He also expressed hope that Israel and Hamas would heed the Pontiff’s call for an end to the war in Gaza.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, Buhari joined Christians around the world in mourning the passing of the Head of the Catholic Church.
Reacting to the news, the former president said Christians in Nigeria and globally would miss the Pope’s exemplary leadership who he described as a leader who served the poor and the weak, and who cared deeply about migrants and refugees.
“He was a Pope who strove to build a beneficial, complementary relationship between the followers of the world’s two greatest religions — Islam and Christianity.
“Just hours before his death, he called for an end to the war in Gaza. I hope Israel and Hamas will heed this call as a final mark of respect to the Pope, who had the distinction of bringing climate change to the Vatican and recognizing the Palestinian State,” Buhari stated.
He prayed for a new leader who would build on the inspiring legacy of Pope Francis.
