President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Katsina State to receive the body of late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday in a London hospital at the age of 82.
The presidential jet conveying Tinubu touched down at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Airport in Katsina at 1:45pm Tuesday afternoon.
He was received by the Katsina State governor, Dikko Umar Radda, alongside some State governors, senior government officials, traditional rulers, and top security personnel.
The arrival of the president signals the commencement of formal burial rites for the late former leader, whose remains were expected to be interred later on Tuesday in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State, in accordance with Islamic customs.
Earlier, the First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, arrived in Katsina to participate in the solemn ceremonies, joining other members of the Buhari family, dignitaries, and mourners already gathered for the funeral.
Security has been tightened across Katsina and Daura as thousands of mourners, including political allies, traditional rulers, and members of the public, converge to pay their final respects to the man often referred to as “Baba Mai Gaskiya” — a phrase meaning “Man of Truth.”
Former President Muhammadu Buhari served as Nigeria’s military head of state from 1983 to 1985, and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023. He was widely regarded for his disciplined leadership, anti-corruption stance, and efforts to strengthen national security.
President Tinubu, in an earlier tribute, described his predecessor as “a patriot, a soldier, and a statesman who dedicated his life to the unity and progress of Nigeria.”
Buhari’s burial in Daura later this Tuesday will mark the end of an era in Nigerian political history, with tributes continuing to pour in from leaders across the world.
