The body of former President Muhammadu Buhari departed London on Tuesday morning aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft, en route to his hometown of Daura in Katsina State, where he will be laid to rest.
Vice President Kashim Shettima is leading a high-level federal government delegation to oversee the final documentation and logistical arrangements for the repatriation of the late president’s remains.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will personally receive Buhari’s body in Katsina ahead of the interment.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, will personally receive the remains of the former President in Katsina,” Idris said. “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.”
The former president passed away on Sunday at a hospital in London.
As part of the national mourning, President Tinubu has directed that condolence registers be opened at all Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as at Nigerian embassies and missions around the world. An additional register will be made available at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
Idris noted that the global response to Buhari’s passing has been significant, stating: “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.”
To ensure a dignified and coordinated burial, President Tinubu has established an Inter-Ministerial Committee chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. The committee will work in collaboration with the Katsina State Government and the Buhari family.
The Minister further disclosed that 25 members of the Federal Executive Council have been directed to attend the burial rites in Katsina and remain in Daura for the third-day prayer (Fidau) scheduled for Wednesday.
