The remains of former President Muhammadu Buhari arrived at his Daura residence in Katsina State on Tuesday, marking the final leg of funeral proceedings for Nigeria’s former leader. Buhari, who died in a London hospital on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at the age of 83, will be laid to rest according to Islamic rites later today.
A large crowd of mourners gathered outside his Daura home, chanting prayers and expressing grief as security operatives maintained order. The body was transported from the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina, where President Bola Tinubu led government officials and dignitaries to receive the late president’s remains.
The Nigerian Air Force plane conveying Buhari’s remains landed at exactly 1:51 p.m. and was met with a solemn guard of honour. President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, and Buhari’s widow, Aisha Buhari, stood alongside other family members as the casket, draped with the Nigerian flag, was lowered from the aircraft.
Foreign dignitaries present included President Umaru Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, Prime Minister of Niger Ali Lamine Zeine, and former President of Niger Issoufou Mahamadou. Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote, and several northern political leaders were also in attendance.
The ceremony featured full military honours, including a 21-gun salute. A joint team of nine senior military officers served as pallbearers, wheeling the casket in a slow march while a military band played the hymn “God Be With You Till We Meet Again.”
The pallbearers included:
Major-General Mohammed Usman
Major-General Oluwafemi Williams
Major-General Shuaibu Nudu
Rear Admiral Suleiman Dahun
Rear Admiral Jonathan Ajodo
Rear Admiral Samuel Ngatuwa
Air Vice Marshal Adeniyi Herbert Amesinlola
Air Vice Marshal Idi Sanni
Air Vice Marshal Obinna Obiabaka
The procession moved through a military guard of honour consisting of six officers and 96 soldiers before placing the casket into a waiting military hearse for the one-hour journey to Daura.
Upon arrival at Buhari’s Daura residence, Islamic clerics led by the Chief Imam of Katsina State are expected to conduct Janazah (funeral prayers) before his burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
Residents and supporters described Buhari as a “father figure,” with many holding placards that read “Baba Buhari, Nigeria Will Miss You” and “Rest in Peace, People’s President.”
Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s military head of state from 1983 to 1985 and as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023, was widely known for his anti-corruption campaign and emphasis on discipline.
Ibrahim Bello, a Daura resident, told reporters, “We have lost a man of integrity. Even if people disagreed with some of his policies, nobody can deny his love for Nigeria.”
Buhari’s death has triggered an outpouring of tributes from political leaders across Africa. President Tinubu described him as “a patriot whose commitment to national unity and development will forever be remembered.”
The burial ceremony in Daura is expected to be attended by high-profile politicians, traditional rulers, and religious leaders, marking the end of an era for one of Nigeria’s most influential leaders.
