Former President Muhammadu Buhari buried in Daura (Photos)

A cloud of sorrow settled over Daura, Katsina State, on Tuesday as the remains of former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari were laid to rest.

The grief-stricken town, known as his birthplace, saw tears mingle with rain-soaked earth as family members, friends, and top dignitaries gathered to bid farewell to the late leader.

Buhari, who passed away in London on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at the age of 82 after a prolonged illness, was interred at exactly 5:50 pm.

His body, draped in Nigeria’s green-white-green flag, was lowered into the grave in the presence of mourning relatives, close associates, and well-wishers.

The burial was marked by Islamic rites and full military honours, including a gun salute and solemn musical processions, in recognition of Buhari’s service as a former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Prominent figures who paid their last respects included President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Buhari’s widow Aisha Buhari, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, business mogul Aliko Dangote, alongside sitting and former governors, ministers, religious and traditional leaders.

President Tinubu personally received Buhari’s body at Katsina Airport after it was flown in from London’s The London Clinic, where the late president spent his final days.

Buhari, born on December 17, 1942, served as Nigeria’s military head of state from January 1984 to August 1985 and later returned to power as a democratically elected president in May 2015, a position he held until May 2023.

The Federal Government declared a day of national mourning in his honour, with flags flying at half-mast nationwide. While many Nigerians will remember him for his fierce anti-corruption and anti-indiscipline campaigns, his tenure remains a subject of mixed reviews, with critics questioning some of his decisions and policies.

Nonetheless, for millions of his loyal followers in the North and across Nigeria, the man fondly called Mai Gaskiya — meaning “the truth-teller” in Hausa — leaves behind an indelible mark on the nation’s history.