ABUJA, Nigeria– Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has announced the death of his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away in London at the age of 82.
The late president died at about 4:30pm on Sunday following a prolonged illness, the Presidency confirmed.
In a swift move, President Tinubu directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to proceed to the United Kingdom (UK) and accompany Buhari’s body back to Nigeria for burial.
The President has also spoken with Buhari’s widow, Mrs Aishat Buhari, to offer personal condolences on behalf of the Federal Government.
As the country comes to terms with the loss, President Tinubu ordered all national flags to fly at half-mast in honour of the departed leader.
Buhari, born on 17 December 1942, served as Nigeria’s military head of state from 1984 to 1985 and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023.
His election victory in 2015 marked a defining moment in the country’s democratic journey, becoming the first time a sitting Nigerian president was defeated at the ballot box.
Running under the All Progressives Congress (APC), he defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
Before his 2015 triumph, Buhari had contested the presidency unsuccessfully in 2003, 2007 and 2011.
In 2019, he secured a second term after defeating former Vice President Atiku Abubakar by over three million votes.
Known for his rigid stance on public sector discipline and anti-corruption, Buhari’s long-standing presence in national life shaped decades of policy and politics in Nigeria.
A retired major general, he entered political life after years in the military and remained a dominant figure well into the country’s Fourth Republic.
The family, through spokesperson Garba Shehu, confirmed the passing in a brief statement. Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.
