He died at the age of 64.

The family lawyer, Mr Yakubu Bawa, who confirmed the news on Sunday, said Dr Mailafia died in the early hours of the day in Abuja.

According to Mr Bawa, Dr. Mailafia’s death followed a brief illness.

Before his death, Dr Mailafia was a renowned Public Affairs Analyst.

He was also the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress in the 2019 presidential election.

He hails from Kaduna State.

The deceased is survived by his wife.

Mailafia made the claim during an online conversation o how to Fix a ‘Failing State’ on Sunday, August 15.

Mailafia said “We’re enmeshed in so many ways. You can’t take that away from us. But today, we face huge problems. In spite of those huge problems, the underlying currents of unity are still there. I’m a village boy. I like to listen to people in the rural areas — the ordinary people — and they have no problem with each other. The Fulani that lives in my area, speak our language. It is elites who are fanning, firing these embers of war and civil strife. So, if we can look beyond these and gather a coalition of well-meaning Nigerians to put forward a new agenda and new national project, let’s give it a try. We have a peculiar disease in northern Nigeria perpetuated by elites. They are very bankrupt, they are very jaundiced, and they hate the country. That is what I’m beginning to see, because, with all these killings, they are not talking. But when you open your mouth small, they say ‘who told you to say that? Having said that, I think the choice is ours. For me, I will say let’s give it at least the last try. But just like in marriage, if people are trying to kill each other in a marriage, it is better for them to be separated for the sake of peace.  So, if we are going to keep slaughtering each other, then it is better to separate every side and then on their own, the Middle Belt could decide that they want to partner with and join Yorubaland, or Oduduwa and Biafra to become another country. Let that be their free choice and referendum. This would be an option, instead of slaughtering each other.”

The former Presidential candidate who revealed that he did not know his comment will go viral, said he got the information from “some Fulani traders” in the market.

He added his words were misunderstood and he did not even know he was recorded on video.

Mailafia who noted that he is a fan of President Muhammadu Buhari averred that “there are bad people who don’t give him the advice to help him”. He apologized for his comments and also disclosed that he told the DSS what he knew about the incident and would not repeat what he said.

Addressing his supporters who stormed the office of the DSS at Kuba road and stayed on till he was released by 6:30 pm, Mailafia alleged that a section of the interview in which he made the comment was lifted, leaving out the context in which he made the statement.

He said “We had a lively and intense interview over a radio interview I granted. That interview which was meant for an FM radio station, some just picked the clip — a small section of the 55 minutes broadcast — and put it on social media and it went very very far all over the country, raising a lot of concerns. What I want to say is that, yes, all of those words were made by me. You know if the whole of the 55 minutes was played out, the context of what I said in a small clip that went viral would have become clearer. This is not the time to disown what I said. Yes, I was privy to some very sensitive information which all statesmen are entitled to have by virtue of our public roles. I know that I should have taken more care to corroborate some of the information I received, but perhaps some of it was uncorroborated. I was in no position to follow them to the camp to corroborate what was going on. But I am not a sensationalist, I am an economist and a central banker; by nature, we are not given to sensation. Let me make it clear: I am a humanist; I am a man of peace. Even my name, Mailafia, means a man of peace. From the bottom of my heart, I love our country dearly and I abhor all the killings and violence which the innocent people of this country have been subjected to. I pray that Nigeria will never experience another civil war. The most elementary duty of government is to protect its citizens. When a government fails to protect its citizens, to protect little children, that is a serious matter. Any innocent boy or girl that is killed is my own child. I love Nigeria. Like Mandela, let me say if need be, I am prepared to give my life for Nigeria. One of the greatest compatriots of this country, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, observes that no country can survive two civil wars. One civil war is bad enough. I also pray that the killings will stop in Zamfara, in Daura, in Katsina, in Birnin Gwari, in my beloved southern Kaduna, in the whole of the middle belt, in Borno, Adamawa and other places.  Let us join hands together to build a new country. Let us work together to save our country and I pray that all of us will do our part to maintain the peace and make sure that our country makes progress. I want to thank the officials of the state department. They have done a tremendous job. They treated me professionally. I have not been rough handled and they have been very very fair and gracious to me.”

Obadiah in an interview with an Abuja based radio station, InfoFM on Monday, August 10, alleged that some repentant bandits spoke with him and other stakeholders in Southern Kaduna and the repentant bandits revealed that a serving governor in one of the Northern states is the commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria.

The DSS saw his interview and has invited him to their office for questioning. He is expected to appear before the service officials on Wednesday, August 12 by 12 noon.