Nigeria Prepares Final Farewell for Former President Muhammadu Buhari
Today, the late former President Muhammadu Buhari will be laid to rest in Daura, his hometown in Katsina State. Buhari passed away on Sunday in the United Kingdom after a private battle with illness.
Vice President Kashim Shettima and Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila traveled to London to receive the late president’s body and accompany it back home. They were welcomed by key Nigerian figures abroad, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State.
Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State confirmed that preparations for Buhari’s burial were made in collaboration with his family and close friends in London. Speaking to the press, Radda shared that the late president’s body would arrive in Katsina at noon, with the burial set for 2 p.m. in Daura. He extended condolences to the Buhari family, the people of Katsina, and all Nigerians mourning the loss of a national figure.
In honor of Buhari’s legacy, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the formation of a high-level committee to oversee the planning of a dignified state burial. Headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the inter-ministerial group includes ministers from key sectors: FCT, Defence, Finance, Information, Health, Housing, Culture, Works, and others, along with security chiefs and senior presidential aides.
The committee’s coordination will be managed through the General Services Office (GSO), serving as the secretariat.
As part of national mourning, President Tinubu has directed all government offices to set up condolence registers at their entrances for citizens to pay tribute. A central condolence register for members of the public and the diplomatic community will also be available at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
More updates are expected in the coming days as the nation bids farewell to one of its former leaders.
