Abba Musa Rimi

In February 1982, Pope John Paul II visited Kaduna. Although squabbling Muslim religious leaders failed to show up. While at the airport, the Pope read an address to Rimi and other government officials urging cooperation and unity among Christians and Muslims before flying on to Lagos.^[5]

In August 1982, Rimi was forced to appeal to the Jama'atul Nasril Islam (JNI) to find a way to end violent clashes between the Izala and Darika Muslim groups.^[6]

After General Muhammadu Buhari seized power in a coup on 31 December 1983, he arrested most of the former governors. On 28 March 1985, a Special Military Tribunal sentenced Rimi to 21 years in jail for corruptly enriching 96 legislators of the State House of Assembly with N500,000. Rimi said he had given the money to the legislators "for keeping the law and order in their constituencies".^[7]

In October 1998, Rimi became the special advisor on political affairs to the military head of state General Abdulsalam Abubakar during the transition to civilian rule.^[8]

Rimi is a holder of the national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).^[9] He is married to Aishatu Rimi and has seven children.