Nigeria: Burial Ceremony of Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari
President Bola Tinubu has declared a week of national mourning, ordered the flying of flags at half-mast, and dispatched Vice President Kashim Shettima to London to oversee the return of his predecessor’s body.
Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s former president, will be buried today in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State.
Mr Buhari died in a London clinic on Sunday, 13 July, at the age of 82, after a prolonged illness. His body will be returned to Nigeria today.
His death marks the end of an era—from a military ruler in the 1980s to the historic electoral victory over an incumbent president in 2015.
As Nigeria prepares to lay to rest one of its most consequential figures, PREMIUM TIMES begins live coverage of a day already steeped in both ritual and reflection.
The Nigerian government had declared today as a public holiday in honour of the former president whose remains would be buried in accordance with Islamic rites in his hometown of Daura.
The ceremony is expected to draw an array of dignitaries including fellow presidents, former colleagues, traditional leaders and a cross-section of Nigerian society, assembled to pay their respects to the late leader who enjoyed what could be described as a cult followership by many Nigerians.
Mr Buhari earned acclaim for his anti-corruption crusade and modest lifestyle. Yet his administration also drew criticism: slowed economic growth, insecurity, and human rights abuses, including a crackdown during the 2020 #EndSARS protests and a controversial Twitter ban.
The government’s response to his death has been swift and solemn. President Bola Tinubu has declared a week of national mourning, ordered the flying of flags at half-mast, and dispatched Vice President Kashim Shettima to London to oversee the return of his predecessor’s body.
In Katsina, Governor Dikko Radda is leading the funeral ceremony. Throughout the day, PREMIUM TIMES will bring comprehensive live updates from Daura where Mr Buhari will be buried.
By Premium Times.
