Former President Muhammadu Buhari is making his final journey home.
Following his death on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at a hospital in London after a prolonged illness, preparations for his burial have begun in earnest. According to his longtime spokesperson, Garba Shehu, the former leader will be laid to rest at his private residence in Daura, Katsina State in his hometown.
In a statement on Tuesday morning, Shehu confirmed that Buhari’s remains left London at 7:48 am aboard a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft and is expected to arrive in Katsina after a flight of approximately seven hours.
“The grave is being dug at his residence in Daura. Everything is in motion for his final homecoming,” Shehu said.
In honor of his service, the Federal Government has announced a full state burial for the former Nigerian leader. Buhari is remembered not just as a two-time head of state, first as a military ruler from 1983 to 1985 and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023 but as a figure who deeply shaped Nigeria’s modern political narrative.
His burial in Daura, rather than a national cemetery or official government grounds, marks a personal choice and a rare departure from the norm among Nigeria’s former leaders.
As the nation prepares to say its final goodbye, security has been significantly ramped up across Katsina State. Top federal officials, state governors, dignitaries, traditional rulers, and military personnel are expected to gather for the burial rites, making it a solemn yet high-profile event.
