Nigeria Declares Public Holiday to Honour Late President Muhammadu Buhari
Abuja, July 15 — Nigeria has declared Tuesday a public holiday to honour former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died Sunday at age 82 in a London clinic after a prolonged battle with ill health.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced the holiday on Monday, calling it a time for national reflection on Buhari’s legacy, leadership, and values. “This public holiday provides an opportunity for all Nigerians to reflect on his life, leadership, and the values he upheld,” he said in a statement.
Buhari will be buried Tuesday afternoon in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State, in accordance with Islamic rites. Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda, who returned from London after visiting Buhari’s family, confirmed that the late leader’s body will arrive by noon, with burial scheduled for 2:00 PM local time.
Originally expected to be held on Monday, the burial was postponed for logistical reasons. His remains will be flown directly to Katsina airport before being transported to Daura, approximately 80km away.
Despite serving as both military head of state and democratically elected president, Buhari will not receive a state funeral, in keeping with his faith and personal wishes. “As prescribed in Islam, he will be buried as soon as possible in a simple ceremony,” Islamic cleric Abdullahi Garangamawa told the BBC.
Tributes have poured in for Buhari, who remains a towering figure in Nigerian history. He ruled first as a military leader from 1983 to 1985 before returning to power through the ballot box in 2015, making history as the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent president.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, whom Buhari defeated in the 2015 election, praised him as “selfless in his commitment to duty” and deeply patriotic. Another former leader, General Ibrahim Babangida—who led the 1985 coup that ousted Buhari—called him “a moral compass” and “an example of modesty in public life.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a seven-day period of national mourning. In a statement issued Sunday evening, Tinubu directed all national flags to fly at half-mast and pledged to honour Buhari “with dignity and respect.”
The late president’s home in Daura has already become a site of mourning, with family members, community leaders, and well-wishers gathering to await his final return.
