The Nigerian government has announced that Tuesday will be a public holiday in memory of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away at age 82 in a London clinic on Sunday following years of illness.
President Bola Tinubu, who had earlier declared a seven-day period of national mourning, also approved Tuesday as a day off.
“This public holiday provides an opportunity for all Nigerians to reflect on his life, leadership, and the values he upheld,” stated the Minister of Interior.
Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda, who returned to Nigeria on Monday after being with the Buhari family in London, confirmed that the former president will be laid to rest in his native state on Tuesday.
”What I have gathered so far is that the corpse will arrive 12pm tomorrow [Tuesday] and the burial will happen by 2pm,” he said.
Authorities explained that the funeral, initially scheduled for Monday, had been postponed due to logistical reasons.
Radda added that the body would be flown to Katsina airport and then moved to Daura, his hometown, roughly 80km from Katsina city.
At Buhari’s home in Daura, family members, friends, and sympathisers have already gathered in anticipation of his body’s arrival.
The vice-president disclosed that Buhari passed away following a short illness but did not offer more details.
Despite his former status as head of state, there will be no official state funeral. According to Islamic cleric Abdullahi Garangamawa, the burial will follow Islamic customs and take place in a modest ceremony without delay.
Tributes have continued to pour in for the late general, who ruled Nigeria both as a military leader and a democratically elected president. In 2015, he made history by becoming the first opposition candidate to defeat a sitting president.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, whom Buhari defeated in 2015, described him as a man “selfless in his commitment to his duty and served the country with character and a deep sense of patriotism”.
Former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida, who led the 1985 coup that removed Buhari from power, also paid tribute.
“He is a man who, even in retirement, remained a moral compass to many, and an example of modesty in public life,” Babangida said.
President Tinubu is expected to attend the funeral prayer in Daura. In his condolence message released Sunday evening, he declared that the country would honour Buhari with dignity, including lowering all national flags to half-mast from Sunday.
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