Buhari’s body arrives Katsina as Tinubu, top officials receive corpse amid military honours

The remains of former President Muhammadu Buhari arrived in Katsina on Tuesday aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft, marking the beginning of final rites for the late statesman who passed away on Sunday in a London hospital at the age of 82.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led a high-level government delegation to the Umar Musa Yar’adua Airport, Katsina, to receive the body. He was joined by governors, ministers, National Assembly members, and other top government officials who came to pay their final respects.

The late President’s body was flown in from the United Kingdom, en route to his hometown of Daura, where he will be buried according to Islamic rites.

At a press briefing on Monday, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, had announced Tinubu’s intention to personally receive Buhari’s remains.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, will personally receive the remains of the former President in Katsina,” Idris had stated. “Upon arrival in Katsina, a brief military ceremony will be held at the airport before the body is moved to Daura. The Jana’iza (funeral prayer) will take place thereafter, followed by interment at the late President’s residence.”

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To honour the late president’s legacy, the federal government has declared a national mourning period and directed the opening of condolence registers across all ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as Nigerian embassies and high commissions around the world.

“A central condolence register will also be opened at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja,” Idris added.

He noted that tributes have continued to pour in from world leaders, reflecting Buhari’s global standing and impact.

“The condolences coming in from Heads of State and Governments across the globe are a testament to the global stature and legacy of President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

To ensure a fitting and well-organised farewell, President Tinubu has approved the formation of an Inter-Ministerial Committee headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. The committee is working in close coordination with the Katsina State Government and the Buhari family.

Idris further revealed that 25 members of the Federal Executive Council have been directed to be present in Katsina for the burial rites and to remain in Daura for the Third-Day Fidau prayers scheduled for Wednesday.

Buhari served as Nigeria’s president from 2015 to 2023, following a previous tenure as military head of state from 1983 to 1985. His death marks the passing of a major figure in Nigeria’s political history, and tributes continue to reflect the depth of his influence on the nation and the world.

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