Body of former President Buhari arrives in Nigeria for burial

The body of former President Muhammadu Buhari arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday for burial in his hometown of Daura.

The former leader is set to be laid to rest in his family compound.

Buhari, who died at the age of 82 in a London clinic on Sunday, ruled Nigeria first as a military leader in the 1980s and then later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023.

Pay last respects

Residents of Daura have been making their way to his family home in Katsina state to pay their respects.

Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima led a government delegation accompanying the body of the former Nigerian leader from London. President Bola Tinubu received the body on arrival.

After arriving in the city of Katsina, the convoy will travel by road to the town of Daura, about 83 kilometres, where the body will laid to rest.

But as his body made its way from England on Tuesday, a massive security was deployed to ensure smooth burial.

High profile politicians, including current President Bola Tinubu, his deputy Kashim Shettima, former President Goodluck Jonathan and Niger’s Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zein, are among thousands of people attending the burial.

Nigerian government declared Tuesday public holiday and ordered flags to fly at half-mast in honour of the late president.