President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially announced the death of his immediate predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away at the age of 82.
The sad news was first made public by the Buhari family, confirming that the former Nigerian leader died today at approximately 4:30 pm at a private clinic in London, United Kingdom, following a prolonged but undisclosed illness.
Confirming the development, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, issued a statement detailing the government’s immediate response to the news of the former leader’s demise.
In his reaction, President Tinubu expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, particularly to the former First Lady, Mrs. Aishat Buhari, with whom he personally spoke to commiserate on the loss.
As part of the government’s official arrangements, President Tinubu has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to urgently travel to the United Kingdom.
Vice President Shettima is tasked with accompanying the late President Buhari’s remains back to Nigeria, where state protocols and burial arrangements will follow.
In honour of the deceased former leader, President Tinubu has ordered that all national flags be flown at half-mast across the country. This symbolic gesture is meant to pay respect to the former President’s legacy and service to the nation.
Muhammadu Buhari’s impact on Nigeria’s political history is significant. He first led the country as a military Head of State from January 1984 to August 1985.
Decades later, he returned to power through the ballot, being elected as a civilian President in 2015 and re-elected in 2019, completing two terms in office by 2023.
Despite public curiosity, the exact nature of the illness that led to Buhari’s death was never officially disclosed, even throughout his prolonged period of ill health.