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The Nigerian government has declared Tuesday a public holiday to honour former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away at the age of 82. Buhari died on Sunday in a London clinic after a prolonged illness.
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President Bola Tinubu, who had earlier announced a week-long national mourning, has now designated Tuesday as a public holiday to allow Nigerians to reflect on Buhari’s legacy. “This day gives citizens a chance to honour his leadership and the values he stood for,” stated the Interior Minister.
Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina, who returned from London after spending time with Buhari’s family, confirmed that the burial would take place on Tuesday in Daura, Buhari’s hometown. “The body is expected to arrive by 12pm and the burial will follow at 2pm,” he said.
The funeral was initially scheduled for Monday but was postponed due to logistical issues. Buhari’s body will be flown into Katsina Airport and then transported to Daura, located about 80km away.
Buhari’s home has already become a gathering point for mourners, including relatives, friends, and well-wishers. The Vice President revealed that Buhari succumbed to a brief illness, without disclosing further details.
Despite his status as a former head of state, Buhari will not receive a state funeral. According to Islamic tradition, he will be buried promptly in a modest ceremony, Islamic cleric Abdullahi Garangamawa told the BBC.
Tributes continue to pour in for the late leader, who once ruled Nigeria as a military head of state before making history in 2015 as the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent president in an election.
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Former President Goodluck Jonathan, whom Buhari defeated, remembered him as “a selfless leader who served the nation with integrity and deep patriotism.” General Ibrahim Babangida, who ousted Buhari in a 1985 coup, also paid tribute, describing him as “a moral compass and an embodiment of humility in public service.”
President Tinubu is expected to attend the funeral prayer in Daura and has ordered all national flags to be flown at half-mast in honour of the late president.
