By Peterside Rejoice
President Bola Tinubu and 25 ministers will today receive the remains of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on Sunday in a London hospital at the age of 82. According to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Buhari’s body will arrive Katsina by 12 noon for a brief military ceremony, after which it will proceed to Daura for burial.
The funeral prayer (Jana’iza) and interment will take place at the late President’s residence in Daura at 2 p.m.
Vice President Kashim Shettima is leading a high-powered delegation currently in London to finalize documentation and logistics for repatriation. President Tinubu has continued to receive condolence messages from world leaders.
Idris announced that a seven-day national mourning period, declared by President Tinubu, began on Sunday, July 13. The national flag is flying at half-mast, and all federal MDAs, embassies, and missions have been directed to open condolence registers. A public holiday was declared today, Tuesday, July 15, in Buhari’s honour.
To oversee the state burial, Tinubu has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee chaired by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume. Members include ministers of defence, budget, finance, FCT, interior, works, and the national security adviser, among others.
Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina confirmed that security has been reinforced in Daura and surrounding areas in anticipation of high-profile guests attending the funeral rites.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly has suspended all legislative activities for one week. A statement signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana, announced that plenary sessions will resume on July 22.
In a show of respect, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has shut down its national secretariat in Abuja until Thursday, July 17. APC spokesperson, Felix Morka, said the closure reflects the party’s mourning of its influential leader.
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, mourned Buhari as a patriot and man of faith. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, praised his life of discipline and service, while the Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi, said Buhari’s passing marks the end of an era.
Also paying tribute, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu called Buhari a man of integrity, and former SGF Oba Olu Falae commended his anti-corruption stance. Former Governor Kayode Fayemi hailed his resilience, while APC chieftain Femi Fani-Kayode described him as “the last of the great Mahdis.”
Former militant leader Tompolo, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) also praised Buhari’s contributions to national unity and discipline.
As Nigeria prepares to lay one of its most iconic leaders to rest, the nation reflects on his complex legacy marked by service, sacrifice, and a relentless commitment to the unity and development of the count
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