Rest, At Last!

Immediate past Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was yesterday laid to rest at his hometown, Daura, in Katsina State.

The remains of the former president, who passed away on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in a London hospital, were brought into the country through the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina on Tuesday afternoon for the final interment.

Local and international dignitaries attended the burial, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the former president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum; Vice President Kashim Shettima; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, business mogul Aliko Dangote, and other prominent leaders paying their last respects.

Buhari was laid to rest at his residence following funeral prayers and interment attended by numerous dignitaries.

Large crowds lined the streets of Daura and gathered at the former President’s residence to pay their last respects.

The former President’s final journey began on Tuesday afternoon when his body arrived from London at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu and other dignitaries, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Umaru Sissoco Embalo of Guinea-Bissau, Prime Minister of the Niger Republic, Ali Lamine Zeine; former President of the Niger Republic, Issoufou Mahamadou; former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, governors and business leaders, escorted the late President’s remains on the hour-long drive to Daura.

Upon arrival, a brief lying-in-state ceremony was held at the late former President Buhari’s residence, followed by the funeral prayer (Salatul Janazah) led by Sheikh Salisu Rabiu, the Imam of the Central Mosque in Daura.

President Tinubu and the late President’s close family members witnessed the final interment at 5.50 p.m

The state funeral was marked by full military honours, including a reveille and a 21-gun salute. A weeklong programme of events will continue later on Tuesday with a condolence visit to President Buhari’s family by the Presidential Committee.

 

A Final Salute to Buhari: Legacy, Leadership, Power of Presence

Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s final journey brought together an extraordinary assembly of Nigeria’s political, traditional, and security elite in Katsina, a gathering rarely seen in the nation’s contemporary history.

This moment of farewell transformed into a profound reckoning with the life and legacy of a man who defined and often defied the contours of Nigerian politics.

The list of dignitaries, from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to PDP stalwart Atiku Abubakar, reflected Nigeria’s political landscape after 1999.

Former governors, ministers, lawmakers, security chiefs, emirs, and foreign dignitaries stood shoulder to shoulder in solemn respect. Names such as National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Ibrahim Masari, Ibrahim Gambari, former Nigerien President Muhammadu Yusufu, and others marked a convergence of influence across decades.

Former Borno Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, ex-transportation minister Rotimi Amaechi, former Communications Minister Isa Ali Pantami, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, former Kebbi State Governor Aliyu Wamakko, ex-Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi, and Katsina’s own Aminu Bello Masari were all present. Former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika and NDLEA boss Buba Marwa rounded off a delegation that symbolised the breadth of Buhari’s political impact.

Each represented not only personal affiliations, but also a historical layer of Nigeria’s democratic evolution.

Beyond the political arena, the event drew powerful cultural symbolism. Leading traditional rulers, including the Emir of Daura, Dr. Faruk Umar Faruk; the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero; and the Emir of Zaria, Nuhu Bamalli, paid their last respects.

Their presence spoke volumes not just of Buhari’s roots in Daura but also of his standing across Nigeria’s traditional and spiritual landscape. It reinforced the idea that Buhari was more than a political figure; he was a cultural institution.

At exactly 1:55pm, Buhari’s body arrived at Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport, where a contingent of soldiers in full ceremonial uniform stood at full attention.

His remains were transferred by helicopter to a landing pad near his Daura residence. The security apparatus was tight, the choreography flawless, fitting for a man who lived by the code of the military.Army

This final act wasn’t just about formality. It was a tribute to Buhari’s origins as a disciplined officer in the Nigerian . That discipline, both praised and criticised, is his style of leadership and governance. The military rituals weren’t just ceremonies; they were mirrors reflecting the ethos of the man being honoured.

Later, at his Daura compound, prayers concluded at exactly 4:56pmb, led by prominent Islamic scholars and joined by mourners from across the country.

Immediately afterwards, a ceremonial gun salute cracked through the air, an echo of honour, tradition, and finality. It was a symbolic military gesture marking the end of an era.

Amid the solemnity, voices rose with remembrance and emotion. Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi described Buhari as a “colossus” whose leadership was built on “humility, transparency, and accountability.” For Mohammed, Buhari’s dual tenure, as military ruler and elected president, had already been “institutionalised by God.”

Hadi Sirika, a long-time ally, reflected on Buhari’s evolution from a soldier to a civilian president, calling his political journey one of resilience, electoral struggle, and ultimate .

Emir Aminu Ado Bayero offered a spiritual reflection: “Everyone has his time,” he said, calling Buhari “a unifying force.”

Buhari’s niece, Hajiya Salamatu Haro, echoed that sentiment, asking Nigerians to forgive “Baba” and remember his intentions rather than his imperfections.

Perhaps the most poignant reflection came from Ali Modu Sheriff: “Look at someone who has been the president of this country three times; look at his home.”

It was a powerful reminder of Buhari’s austere lifestyle, an image etched into the national consciousness since his days in Daura.

Rotimi Amaechi, referring to Buhari as Dan Amanar Daura, celebrated his commitment to discipline and public service.

“Nigeria will miss him,” Amaechi said. “Especially his principled leadership.”

Former President of the Republic of Niger, Muhammadu Yusufu, offered an international dimension to the tribute, praising Buhari’s role in fostering cross-border infrastructure, including the Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway. He too prayed for Allah to grant Buhari Aljanat Firdaus.

These reflections collectively painted Buhari as a man of contrasts: austere yet commanding, principled yet polarising, deeply respected by allies and cautiously assessed by critics.

Many agreed that his legacy transcends political affiliations.

As Nigeria watched its former leader laid to rest, the moment became more than a farewell. It became a national reflection. Despite the political divides of his era, the tributes spoke with a unified voice about integrity, service, and a tireless pursuit of national cohesion.

Buhari was not without flaws. His administration faced criticism, and his leadership style sparked debate. Yet, what rang out clearly from the gathering in Katsina was that Muhammadu Buhari stood for something rare in Nigerian public life: consistency of character.

In his death, Nigeria did not just bury a former president; it closed a significant chapter of its democratic journey. And in the echoes of that chapter discipline, humility, and duty lie the values that may yet guide the country’s future.

 

How Tinubu Receives Buhari’s Remains In Katsina Amid Full Military Honours

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday received the remains of former President Muhammadu Buhari at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina.

President Tinubu arrived at the airport from Abuja at 1:42pm.and inspected a guard of honour before the Nigerian Air Force plane conveying the remains of his predecessor landed at exactly 1:51 p.m.

Former President Buhari passed away on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in a London hospital.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, President Buhari’s wife Aisha, and other family members accompanied President Buhari’s remains to Nigeria.

President Tinubu, along with Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Umaru Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, Prime Minister of Niger, Ali Lamine Zeine, former President of Niger, Issoufou Mahamadou, and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo received the casket of the late president at the foot of the aircraft.

A joint team of military pallbearers comprising nine senior officers laid the casket, draped with the Nigerian flag, on a trolley. The team included Major-General Mohammed Usman, Major-General Oluwafemi Williams, Major-General Shuaibu Nuhu, Rear Admiral Suleiman Dahun, Rear Admiral Jonathan Ajodo, Rear Admiral Samuel Ngatuwa, Air Vice Marshal Adeniyi Herbert Amesinlola, Air Vice Marshal Idi Sanni, and Air Vice Marshal Obinna Obiabaka. Major General Mike Alechenu coordinated the team.

The pallbearers wheeled the former leader’s casket in a slow march, in sync with the hymn “God Be With You Till We Meet Again,” passing through a full military guard of honour comprising six officers and 96 soldiers drawn from the Nigerian Armed Forces.

President Tinubu and others followed behind the casket trolley in a solemn procession. The pallbearers escorted the casket into a waiting military hearse for the one-hour journey to Daura, where funeral prayers and the burial ceremony would take place.

The state funeral featured full military honours, including a 21-gun salute.

 

 Buhari’s Name Synonymous To Integrity – Pantami

Former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, described the late President Muhammadu Buhari as a symbol of integrity, discipline, and patriotism.

Speaking during a condolence message following Buhari’s passing, Pantami paid a glowing tribute to the former Nigerian leader, emphasising that his name has become interchangeable with the word “integrity.”

“Muhammadu Buhari’s name is synonymous with integrity,” Pantami said. “One may argue otherwise if you don’t know him personally. But for those of us who interacted with him for several years, there is no doubt. I lived with him for 25 years, and Almighty God is my witness, I have never doubted that integrity throughout my relationship with him.”

Pantami, who served in Buhari’s cabinet, highlighted some of the values the former president upheld during his lifetimm.

“Part of his legacy that I always remembered is his patriotism, discipline, and critical thinking,” he added.

The former minister’s tribute joins a growing list of eulogies from political allies, family members, and Nigerians across the country who have continued to mourn the former president’s demise.

 

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