Muhammadu Buhari’s burial ceremony holds in Daura Tuesday with military rites and national mourning as tributes pour in for Nigeria’s late former president

Muhammadu Buhari’s burial ceremony will take place on Tuesday in his home town of Daura, Katsina State, following his death in London on Sunday at the age of 82.

Also read: Buhari’s national mourning holiday declared as Nigeria bids farewell

The state governor, Dikko Radda, confirmed the arrangements in a statement to BBC Hausa.

Governor Radda, who was with Buhari’s family in the United Kingdom, said the late leader’s remains will be flown directly from London to Katsina before being taken to Daura, where he will be laid to rest within the compound of his private residence.

Mourners have already gathered in Daura in anticipation of the funeral. Buhari’s home has become a centre of solemn reflection, filled with family, friends, and supporters waiting to pay their last respects.

The federal government declared Tuesday a public holiday to honour the legacy of the former president, who remains one of only two individuals in Nigeria’s history to have served as both a military head of state and a democratically elected leader.

Information Minister Mohammed Idris said President Bola Tinubu will personally receive Buhari’s body at the airport in Katsina.

A short military ceremony will be conducted before the coffin proceeds to Daura for Islamic funeral prayers and final interment.

“The nation will pay its final respects to the former leader with dignity and honour,” Tinubu said in his official condolence message on Sunday evening. He also announced a seven-day national mourning period, with flags to fly at half-mast nationwide from Sunday.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who will accompany the body back to Nigeria, confirmed that Buhari died after a brief illness. No further medical details were disclosed.

Muhammadu Buhari’s burial ceremony comes after a lifetime marked by military discipline, political resilience, and a controversial presidency that spanned from 2015 to 2023.

He was the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent president in Nigeria’s democratic history.

Among the first to pay tribute was former President Goodluck Jonathan, who conceded to Buhari in 2015. Jonathan praised Buhari’s “selfless commitment” and “deep sense of patriotism”.

Former military leader General Ibrahim Babangida, who removed Buhari from office in a 1985 coup, also expressed admiration.

“He is a man who, even in retirement, remained a moral compass to many, and an example of modesty in public life,” Babangida remarked.

Tributes have poured in from across the political spectrum, including senior figures from both the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, also honoured Buhari with a symbolic three-day pause on political activities, recognising his enduring appeal among ordinary Nigerians.

Despite the delay of the funeral, originally scheduled for Monday, government officials attributed the shift to logistical considerations involved in transporting the body from the UK.

Also read: US embassy shuts in Nigeria to honour late Buhari’s national holiday

As final arrangements unfold, Nigerians reflect on a man whose leadership shaped a turbulent era, and whose death marks the end of a political chapter that spanned decades of national history.