Former Nigerian President Buhari Dies
Nigeria’s late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away at the age of 82 in a London clinic on Sunday, is set to be laid to rest in his home state of Katsina on Tuesday, according to the state governor.
Buhari, who initially came to power as a military ruler following a coup in the 1980s, made a significant return to politics, becoming the first Nigerian president to unseat an incumbent through elections in 2015. He successfully secured a second term four years later.
On Monday, Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima and other government officials traveled to London to oversee the repatriation of the former president’s remains.
Katsina state governor Dikko Umaru Radda announced that after discussions with Buhari’s family, they agreed that his body would be brought back to Nigeria on Tuesday for burial the same day in his hometown of Daura.
Among those who paid their respects to Buhari was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who shared on the X platform that “his wisdom, warmth, and unwavering commitment to the friendship between India and Nigeria truly stood out.”
Buhari garnered a loyal following for his strong stance against corruption, particularly in Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim northern region.
He often described himself as a “converted democrat,” trading in his military uniform for traditional kaftans and prayer caps.
Ibrahim Babangida, another former military leader who ousted Buhari in a coup back in 1985, reflected on Buhari as a deeply spiritual and humble individual.
“We may not have agreed on everything — as brothers often don’t — but I never once doubted his sincerity or his patriotism,” Babangida said in a statement.
After stepping down from office in 2023, Buhari mostly kept to himself in Daura, staying out of the public spotlight.
His successor, Bola Tinubu, took over a nation facing serious challenges like double-digit inflation, shortages in foreign exchange, economic struggles, low oil production, and a rise in insecurity that affected many regions of Nigeria.
Supporters of Buhari, however, saw him as Nigeria’s moral compass, praising his reputation for avoiding the corruption and lavish lifestyles that often characterize the country’s political elite.
On the flip side, critics labeled Buhari as “an absentee landlord — a leader who governed by delegation, often disappearing for long periods (frequently to London for medical care), and whose detachment felt like neglect,” as noted by the local BusinessDay newspaper.
Former Nigerian President Buhari Dies
