Buhari: Tinubu, Obasanjo, Jonathan, IBB, AU, Governors Mourn Late Former President

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Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari died on Sunday in London at the age of 82.
Tributes pour in from Tinubu, Obasanjo, Babangida, Jonathan, AU, ECOWAS and Nigerian governors.
Buhari’s burial is scheduled for Monday at 4:00 p.m. in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has been described as a patriot, soldier, and statesman by Nigeria’s top political leaders and global institutions after his death on Sunday in a London clinic. Buhari, who led Nigeria as a military Head of State from 1984 to 1985 and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023, passed away at the age of 82 following a prolonged illness.

President Bola Tinubu, in a statement personally signed and released on Sunday, said Buhari’s life was marked by duty, honour, and an unshakable commitment to the unity and progress of Nigeria. Tinubu ordered national flags to fly at half-mast for seven days and summoned an emergency Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting to honour the late leader. He also directed Vice President Kashim Shettima and Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila to travel to the United Kingdom to accompany Buhari’s body back to Nigeria.

In his words, “It is with profound sorrow and a heavy heart that I received the news of the passing of His Excellency, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), GCFR. He served Nigeria through its most turbulent periods with quiet strength, profound integrity, and an unshakable belief in the country’s potential.”

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo described Buhari as a colleague and compatriot, noting that Nigeria had lost a statesman whose experience and wisdom were needed now more than ever.

Obasanjo stated, “It is a loss to the nation because, at a time like this, we need the totality of the experience, expertise, and statesmanship of all those who have led this country before to navigate out of the present challenges.”

Former Military President Ibrahim Babangida expressed sadness over the passing of his friend and fellow military officer. Babangida described Buhari as a man of integrity, order, and modesty whose belief in discipline and service shaped his decades in public life.

He recalled their shared experiences as young officers, stating that Buhari was deeply patriotic and consistently carried himself with humility.

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan described Buhari’s passing as a profound national loss and a personal blow. Jonathan said the late leader would be remembered for his disciplined leadership and commitment to national ideals.

“Nigeria has lost one of its foremost leaders, and I have lost a respected colleague and elder,” Jonathan said in his tribute.

The African Union Commission and ECOWAS also paid glowing tributes to Buhari, describing him as a principled Pan-Africanist who championed democracy, good governance, and regional integration across West Africa and the continent. The AU Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, said Buhari’s legacy as a steadfast advocate for African unity and multilateral cooperation would endure.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, in a statement signed by its chairman, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said Buhari’s death marked “a significant depletion in the ranks of Africa’s all-time great men.” Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda described the late president as “the embodiment of the common man’s aspirations” whose people-oriented programmes touched millions of lives.

Buhari’s burial has been scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on Monday in Daura, Katsina State, where the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Faruk Umar Faruk, described the mood in the palace as one of profound sorrow. Security arrangements for the funeral are being coordinated by federal and state authorities as thousands are expected to pay their final respects.

The former president’s passing has cast a shadow of grief across Nigeria and beyond, with his legacy sparking deep reflection on his decades of service to the nation as both a military and civilian leader.

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