Former President Muhammadu Buhari has been laid to rest in his hometown Daura in Katsina State, following a solemn state funeral and Islamic funeral prayers attended by Nigerian and international dignitaries.
Buhari, who died in London on Sunday at the age of 82 after a prolonged illness, was buried in accordance with Islamic rites shortly after funeral prayers were observed in Daura on Tuesday afternoon.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led a high-powered federal government delegation to the burial. Also present were Vice President Kashim Shettima, several state governors, other dignitaries.
Also, Foreign dignitaries, including President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau and Prime Minister of Niger Ali Lamine Zeine, also attended the solemn rites.
The casket bearing Buhari’s remains, draped in the Nigerian national flag, arrived earlier on Tuesday at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina, where President Tinubu received it. It was then transported to Daura, accompanied by a convoy of military personnel and dignitaries.
As part of the final honours, a joint military team rendered a 21-gun salute before the former president was interred at his private residence in Daura.
Buhari, a former military head of state from 1984 to 1985, returned to power through democratic elections in 2015 and was re-elected in 2019. His years in office were marked by anti-corruption campaigns, infrastructural reforms, and a mixed record on security and economic growth.
Across Nigeria, national flags have been flying at half-mast since Monday in honour of the late president, following a directive by President Tinubu. The National Assembly has also suspended all legislative activities until July 22 in his memory.
Chioma Kalu
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