KEY POINTS

• Buhari will be buried in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State, with full state and Islamic rites.

• A military ceremony will be held in Katsina, where President Tinubu will receive his remains.

• National mourning has been declared with flags flown at half-mast and Tuesday observed as a public holiday.

Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday, August 11, 2024, in a London clinic, will be laid to rest in the compound of his private residence in Daura, Katsina State.

Governor Dikko Radda confirmed the burial plans while speaking with BBC shortly after visiting Buhari’s family in the United Kingdom.

Governor Radda disclosed that the late president’s remains will be flown directly from London to Katsina, where they will be received by President Bola Tinubu before being transported to Daura for interment.

The funeral, originally scheduled for Monday, was postponed due to logistical reasons.

As preparations intensified, the home of the late leader in Daura filled with mourners, family members, and supporters awaiting the arrival of his body.

Buhari, who died at the age of 82, was one of only two Nigerians to lead the country both as a military head of state and as a democratically elected president.

Buhari: burial to include military honours, Islamic prayers, and official ceremonies in Katsina and Daura

Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, stated that there would be a brief military ceremony at the airport in Katsina, followed by Islamic prayers at the late leader’s family compound. According to Idris, “President Tinubu will personally receive the remains of the former president at the airport before attending the prayer in Daura.”

Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who traveled to London to coordinate arrangements and escort the body back to Nigeria, confirmed that Buhari died after a brief illness. He declined to offer further medical details, maintaining the family’s request for privacy.

In honour of the late president, President Tinubu declared Tuesday a national public holiday and initiated a seven-day period of national mourning. The President also ordered all national flags to be flown at half-mast beginning Sunday evening as a symbol of collective grief.

In his condolence message, President Tinubu stated, “Nigeria will bid farewell to Muhammadu Buhari with solemn dignity and honor, acknowledging his service, his sacrifice, and his profound legacy.”

Tributes have poured in from across Nigeria and beyond. Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was defeated by Buhari in the 2015 presidential election, praised his successor’s patriotism and discipline. “He was selfless in his commitment to duty and served the country with character and a deep sense of patriotism,” Jonathan noted.

Retired General Ibrahim Babangida, who ousted Buhari in a 1985 military coup, joined other statesmen in honoring the late leader. “Even in retirement, he remained a moral compass to many and an example of modesty in public life,” Babangida said.

Buhari, known for his austere lifestyle, anti-corruption campaigns, and commitment to national unity, first came to power as a military ruler in 1983 before returning through democratic elections in 2015. He served two terms before handing over to President Bola Tinubu in 2023.

The burial, scheduled to take place in Daura, is expected to attract political leaders, diplomats, traditional rulers, and dignitaries from within and outside the country.