Nigeria is in shock following the news that former President Muhammadu Buhari, has passed away in a London hospital on Sunday, 13 July 2025, at about 4:30 p.m. London time. The news, which was confirmed by his long‑time spokesman Garba Shehu, ended weeks of speculation about the retired leader’s health. Some days ago, the presidency dispatched Vice‑President Kashim Shettima to London with a get well wishes to the former leader.
Final Hours in London
Buhari who was in and out of hospital many times during his presidency, had spent the past several weeks at an undisclosed London clinic, battling a long illness, that has ever been kept private. Hospital sources say he remained lucid earlier on Sunday, conversing with close relatives before his condition worsened in the afternoon. He slipped away peacefully, surrounded by immediate family.
Funeral Arrangements
According to the Presidency, Buhari will be buried Monday, 14 July, in Daura, Katsina State, in strict accordance with Islamic rites. A short honour guard is planned in Abuja when the coffin arrives from London, after which it will be flown north for the final interment.
From Coup‑Maker to Ballot‑Box Pioneer
| Key Milestones | |
|---|---|
| 17 Dec 1942 | Born in Daura, Katsina State |
| 31 Dec 1983 | Seized power in military coup |
| Aug 1985 | Overthrown after 20 months in office |
| 29 May 2015 | Sworn in as elected President |
| 29 May 2023 | Left office after two terms |
| 13 Jul 2025 | Died in London, aged 82 |
Buhari’s life mirrored Nigeria’s own turbulence. After leading a strict military government in the mid‑1980s, he made history in 2015 by defeating an incumbent at the polls, a first for Africa’s most populous nation. His eight‑year civilian rule combined an unrelenting anti‑corruption push and major rail projects with two painful recessions, rising insecurity, and the deadly #EndSARS crackdown of 2020.
National and Global Reaction
By Sunday night, mourners were already gathering outside his Kaduna residence, reciting Qur’an verses and sharing stories of the stoic general. ECOWAS, the African Union, Former US President Joe Biden, and Britain’s King Charles III have all sent condolences. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to address the nation Monday morning and declare a period of national mourning, during which flags will fly at half‑staff.
Voices on Buhari
“He lived modestly and governed with the discipline of a soldier.”
— President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
“History will judge him both for the hope he inspired and the liberties he constricted.”
— Prof. Adebayo Ola, University of Lagos
“Many young Nigerians felt unheard after #EndSARS, yet his place in our story is undeniable.”
— Aisha Yesufu, activist
The Road Ahead
In the coming days, Buhari’s record will become a public discuss among Nigerians, from his fight against graft to the economic pain felt under his watch. What is certain is that an era has ended. Buhari leaves behind his wife Aisha, children, and a nation still wrestling with the same questions he grappled with: How to root out corruption, tame insecurity, and create opportunity for 220 million citizens.
As the green‑white‑green flags dip to half‑mast, Nigeria pauses not just to mourn a leader, but to measure the distance between the country he hoped to build and the one that now gathers to bury him.
