The body of Nigeria’s former President, Muhammadu Buhari, arrived at his hometown of Daura on Tuesday evening, marking the final leg of his journey home for burial.
The late statesman’s remains landed at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina and were received by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accompanied by senior government officials and members of the late president’s family. From there, the cortege was transported to his Daura residence, where a large crowd of mourners had gathered to pay their last respects.
Buhari’s remains arrived in Daura around 4:34 p.m. and are set to be laid to rest in accordance with Islamic funeral rites. The burial prayer (Janazah) will be led by the Chief Imam of Katsina, in keeping with Islamic tradition and northern Nigerian customs.
A solemn atmosphere enveloped the town as residents, clerics, political allies, and dignitaries gathered to honor the late former leader. Buhari, who ruled Nigeria as a military head of state in the 1980s and later as a two-term democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023, was a deeply influential figure in Nigerian politics and governance.
Among the high-profile figures present at the ceremony were Vice President Kashim Shettima, who accompanied the body from London; Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila; First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu; National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu; and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
State governors also paid their final respects, including Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina, Babagana Zulum of Borno, and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, alongside other national and regional leaders.
Buhari’s remains had departed London, where he passed away, earlier on Tuesday. His return to Daura, a place he frequently called home during and after his presidency, has drawn emotional tributes from across Nigeria and beyond.
As the nation reflects on the legacy of a complex and often polarizing figure, tributes have poured in, recognizing his role in shaping Nigeria’s democratic journey, anti-corruption fight, and foreign policy reorientation.
