Nigeria is in mourning following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away in London on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at approximately 4:30 pm GMT after a prolonged illness.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu confirmed the news through a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Tinubu personally contacted the late president’s widow, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, offering deep condolences on behalf of the nation.
As a mark of national respect, President Tinubu has ordered that all Nigerian flags be flown at half-mast. 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, ensuring a dignified and honorable return for the late statesman.
Statehouse Press Statement
Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila joins VP Shettima on trip to the UK
Former President Buhari, who served Nigeria both as a military ruler from January 1984 to August 1985 and later as a democratically elected president in 2015 and 2019, died after a lengthy illness.
“President Tinubu has spoken with Mrs. Aisha Buhari, the former President’s widow, and conveyed his deep condolences,” the statement read.
“Flags are to be flown at half-mast nationwide as a mark of respect for the departed leader.”
Atiku Abubakar: “A Soldier of Principle and a Symbol of Nigeria’s Resilience”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also expressed his deep sorrow in a moving tribute, describing Buhari as a man of “unflinching patriotism, stoic discipline, and a lifelong commitment to the sovereignty and unity of our great nation.”
Atiku described Buhari not just as a former president, but as a leader who carried the burdens of state during both turbulent and triumphant times. He wrote:
“President Buhari was not just a former Head of State, he was a symbol of Nigeria’s resilience. From the battlefield to the corridors of power, he served with the kind of austere conviction and firm belief in duty that marked him as a soldier of principle and a leader of formidable will.”
Atiku extended his condolences to the Buhari family, the people of Daura, and the entire nation, praying for divine comfort and mercy:
“May Allah, the Most Merciful, forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal rest in Aljannah Firdaus.”
Bishop Kukah: “We Should Remember Him as a Good Man”
Also paying tribute was the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Revd (Dr) Matthew Hassan Kukah, who described Buhari as a “good man” whose personal virtues should not be overshadowed by the controversies of his presidency.
In a telephone interview with Daily Sun, Bishop Kukah urged Nigerians to look beyond Buhari’s political record and appreciate his lifelong service to the country:
“May God grant him eternal rest and may He give consolation to his family. All of us as a nation are mourning.”
“I think President Buhari should be remembered as a good man. We shouldn’t focus on his eight years of being President of Nigeria, but as a great man who made his contributions to this country as a military officer among many other things.”
President Buhari’s death has sparked a wave of national mourning, with tributes pouring in from across the political, religious, and civil landscapes. As the country prepares to welcome him home one last time, Nigerians reflect on the life and legacy of a leader who shaped decades of its modern history.
