DAURA, Nigeria — Former President Muhammadu Buhari was buried on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in the garden of his private residence in Daura, Katsina State, following a solemn day of national mourning and high-level tributes.
His body arrived at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina around 1:53 p.m. aboard a presidential aircraft, accompanied from London by Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
Buhari died on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in a London clinic at the age of 82 after a prolonged illness.
President Bola Tinubu led the federal delegation to receive the late president’s remains at the airport.
He was joined by state governors, cabinet members, senior government officials, and military top brass in an atmosphere marked by grief and reverence.
Shortly after arrival, funeral prayers were held at a helipad near Buhari’s Daura residence in accordance with Islamic rites.
The prayers were attended by religious leaders, family members, political allies, and thousands of mourners.
The late president’s body was then taken in a subdued procession to his home, where he was interred in a private ceremony in the garden — a location he reportedly chose during his lifetime as his final resting place.
President Tinubu had earlier declared Tuesday, July 15, 2025, a public holiday to honour Buhari, a gesture that followed his declaration of seven days of national mourning.
Flags have been flying at half-mast across the country since Monday, July 14, 2025.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting initially scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, 2025, was postponed as a mark of respect, with all official government activities put on hold.
Muhammadu Buhari ruled Nigeria first as a military leader from 1983 to 1985 and returned as a democratically elected president, serving two terms from 2015 to 2023.
His legacy remains a subject of intense public debate — marked by a fierce anti-corruption campaign, a commitment to infrastructure development, and enduring criticism over security, economic policies, and human rights concerns.
The decision to bury him in his hometown — rather than the National Cemetery in Abuja — reflects both his personal wishes and a return to tradition for a leader who remained deeply rooted in northern Nigeria.
