President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived in Katsina State to attend the burial of his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday in London at the age of 82.
The president’s aircraft touched down at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Airport in Katsina at exactly 1:50 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15. He was received by a delegation of top government officials, including governors, ministers, and senior aides.
The late president’s remains are expected to arrive shortly at the same airport aboard a separate flight from the United Kingdom. A brief reception ceremony will be held at the airport before the body is transported to his hometown of Daura for interment.
Security presence has been heightened along the Katsina–Daura axis in anticipation of the funeral convoy, with military and police personnel stationed at key points along the 170-kilometre stretch. Buhari will be buried according to Islamic rites in his private residence in Daura, a quiet agrarian town in Katsina State where he was born and raised.
The funeral prayer, known as Salat al-Janazah, is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the central mosque in Daura, with both religious and traditional leaders expected to participate alongside high-ranking government officials.
Former President Buhari, a retired military general and two-time head of state, led Nigeria first as a military ruler from 1983 to 1985 and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023, serving a total of nine years and eight months in office.
In honor of the late leader, President Tinubu declared a seven-day period of national mourning beginning on July 13. Nigerian flags have been ordered to fly at half-mast throughout the country and across Nigerian missions abroad. Additionally, Tuesday has been declared a public holiday to allow citizens to pay their respects.
The federal government also announced that third-day prayers will be held on Wednesday in Daura, with the full complement of the Federal Executive Council expected in attendance.
Condolence registers have been opened in all ministries, embassies, and key public buildings, while tributes continue to pour in from across the world, including messages from international leaders and foreign dignitaries.
