President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will today (Tuesday) lead a high-level federal delegation to Katsina State for the burial of Nigeria’s former President, Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday in London at the age of 82.
The late elder statesman will be buried according to Islamic rites at his private residence in Daura, Katsina State. His remains are expected to arrive at the Katsina Airport by noon, where President Tinubu will personally receive them. A brief military ceremony will be held at the airport before the body is taken to Daura for funeral prayers (Jana’iza) and interment.
In preparation for the burial, President Tinubu on Monday approved the constitution of an inter-ministerial committee to coordinate a befitting state burial for the former president. The committee is chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and includes ministers from Finance, Defence, Information, Works, Interior, FCT, Health, Budget, Housing, and Culture, among others. Key security and presidential aides also serve on the committee, with the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, acting as the secretariat.
The federal government has declared Tuesday, July 15, a public holiday and announced a seven-day period of national mourning starting Sunday, July 13. During this period, the national flag will fly at half-mast across the country, with all federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) instructed to open condolence registers. Central condolence registers will also be available at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, and all Nigerian embassies and missions abroad.
Information Minister Mohammed Idris disclosed that 25 Federal Executive Council (FEC) members have been directed to participate fully in the burial rites and the third-day prayer (Fidau) scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, in Daura.
He also announced that the special FEC meeting earlier slated for July 15 has been rescheduled to Friday, July 18, to accommodate the mourning period and funeral arrangements.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima is currently in London, where he met with the late President’s family and concluded logistical arrangements for the repatriation of the remains. Accompanied by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar, and Deputy Chief of Staff Ibrahim Hadejia, Shettima also visited Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura, and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who are both recuperating in London.
In a show of solidarity, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo visited the Vice President in London to pay tribute to the late Nigerian leader.
The National Assembly has postponed all legislative activities until Tuesday, July 22, to enable lawmakers to attend the burial ceremonies. In a statement, Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, described Buhari as “a symbol of national unity and integrity,” and prayed for his eternal rest in Aljannatul Firdaus.
Also paying tribute, the Southern Senators’ Forum, through its Chairman, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, described Buhari as “a towering figure in Nigerian politics” and “a symbol of integrity, discipline, and unwavering patriotism.”
“From his early days as a military officer to his years as a democratically elected President, Buhari dedicated his life to the service of Nigeria,” the forum stated. “His humility and commitment to transparency left a legacy that continues to inspire.”
In honour of the late president, the scheduled meeting of Secretaries to State Governments (SSGs), initially set to hold in Jos on July 15–16, has been postponed. A new date will be announced later, according to the SGF’s Office.
