Daura, the hometown of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away at 82 in a London clinic on Sunday, is set for his burial today.
This is even as the country has continued to mourn the late elder statesman with declarations of days of mourning and suspension of official activities in his honour.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who had earlier declared a seven-day national mourning period, also approved today as a public holiday in honour of his predecessor.
Buhari’s remains will arrive from London by noon today and will be received by President Tinubu.
The remains will thereafter proceed to Daura where the Janaza prayer will take place at 2pm in accordance with Islamic rites, followed by internment at the late president’s residence, Daily Trust gathered.
Our correspondent who visited Daura yesterday, observed heavy presence of security men at Buhari’s GRA residence along Kongolam road as well as the entrance of the Daura Emirate Council.
Security was also beefed up at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport, Katsina; and 12 security checkpoints mounted between Katsina and Daura town.
Dignitaries, who visited the deceased’s residence, included his former Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; his spokesman, Garba Shehu; a former Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, a former Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari; a former Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun and a former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Others were a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami; a former aviation minister, Hadi Sirika and a former Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, among others.

Although most of these dignitaries later went back to Katsina or Kano to pass the night, available hotels and guest houses in Daura were fully booked.
Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda was in Daura to see the arrangements and preparations for Buhari’s burial. The governor went through streets in Daura to observe traffic flow as many guests are expected for the funeral.
The governor also visited the Emir of Daura, Dr Umar Farouk Umar, in his palace, where he offered his condolences. Special prayers for the repose of the soul of the late former president were said by different imams in the palace.
Earlier yesterday, Katsina State Deputy Governor, Faruk Jobe; his Deputy Chief of Staff, Mukhtar Saulawa; Katsina APC chairman, Sani Daura; the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasiru Muazu Danmusa; a former Katsina State SUBEB chairman, Lawal Daura and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 14, Aliyu Musa, were also in Daura.
Buhari’s final home
Governor Radda told newsmen in Daura that the family of the late elder statesman and his close associates had agreed to bury him at his Daura home.
He said the funeral would likely be held at the Kangiwa ground of the Emir of Daura Palace or any other most appropriate place on the advice of security operatives.
The governor called on the people of Daura to cooperate for the peaceful conduct of the funeral service.
He said two foreign presidents had confirmed their willingness to attend the funeral as confirmed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He assured of the state government’s commitment to giving the former president a befitting and dignified farewell in honour of his legacy and decades of service to the nation.
It was gathered that a portion of the late leader’s GRA residence along Kongolam road in Daura had been marked for his interment. A source, who declined to mention his name, said the portion where the grave would be dug would be fenced.
Daura residents, Buhari’s associates speak
Mourners, including Buhari’s neighbours, family members, friends and associates, thronged his residence yesterday.
Some of them, who spoke to our reporter, described the late president as humble, disciplined and generous.
One of his friends, Sulaiman Yarin Katsina, said Buhari’s simplicity made him always at home and connected to his community throughout his life.
The late president’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, said they were shocked because monitoring his condition over there and the sense they were getting was that the worst was behind him and that he was recovering, only for them to hear about his death.
“Nigeria has lost a very rare individual. Rare in the sense that, for most people that you see, they are enchanted with things like money, houses, cars, women and the rest, Buhari’s mind was never there.
“His mind was always on the poor person, like illustrated in the Social Investment Programme that he instituted, the first of its kind in Africa. Buhari did not have pride in his mind. He didn’t have arrogance of power,” he said.

Also speaking, former Katsina Governor Masari, said: “We have always had that sense of security that we have him around. He was like a strong wall that we were leaning against and that wall just collapsed.
“When you look at Buhari’s life, he was a leader right from his primary school life to the secondary school, the military life, up to the time he became head of state and later a president, he reminded the same person, unchanging, unwavering.
“Those who were close to Buhari did not know how simple a person he was, a person who was too much concerned about the welfare of the people”.
For former minister, Pantami, the country has lost a father, a mentor, a teacher and an elder statesman.
“With regards to his legacies concerning his personal life, they are many, among which, number one is integrity. To me, Buhari is integrity and integrity is Buhari. They are synonymous. Number two is discipline. I was in touch with him closely for 24 years, from 2001 to the day he passed away. “I can admit to you that for me, when it comes to discipline, he was among the top I know globally. I attended Executive Council meetings with him for four years and there was no time he came in late, even for a minute.
“Similarly, we travelled with him several times and when we arrived by 3am at our destination, he would stay awake till he prayed his early morning prayer in order not to miss it while sleeping,” Pantami said.
Former Senate President Ahmad Lawan said he was deeply touched by the death of former President Buhari.
“He was an embodiment of modesty and selflessness. May Allah reward him with Aljannah,” Lawan said.
A resident of Daura, Alhaji Musa Muhammad, said: “Whenever Buhari was around, you would see that atmosphere and respectability. He was a leader for a long time and we have always enjoyed his presence.”
Nigeria mourns
Nigeria has continued to mourn her immediate past president. This is as activities in Abuja and some states in the North have been put on hold in honour of the late elder statesman.
The federal government said the seven-day national mourning period approved yesterday by President Tinubu in Buhari’s honour was a mark of national respect for his decades-long service to Nigeria as a military Head of State (1983–1985) and democratically elected President (2015–2023), highlighting his commitment to national unity, security reform and anti-corruption efforts.
The government urged Nigerians to observe the holiday by promoting peace, patriotism and national cohesion ideals which the late former president championed throughout his public life.
The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, said Tinubu had ordered that national flags be flown at half-mast for seven days, from July 13 to July 20, 2025, as a mark of respect for Buhari.
President Tinubu also yesterday appointed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to head an inter-ministerial committee tasked with the responsibility of planning and coordinating a befitting state burial for the former president.
The committee comprises ministers, security chiefs and presidential aides; the Office of the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, would serve as the secretariat of the committee.
Members of the committee include; the Ministers of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Defence, Information, Works, Interior, FCT, Housing, Health and Culture as well as the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector-General of Police and other top officials.
Akume explained that the inclusion of the defence and security chiefs was to ensure national protocol and ceremonial standards were observed during the funeral.
Tinubu, according to Akume, also directed all ministries, departments and agencies to open condolence registers at the entrance of their respective offices for the public to pay their respects to Buhari.
The president also urged the opening of a central condolence register for the diplomatic community and the general public, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.
The SGF further announced the postponement of the meeting with Secretaries to the State Governments earlier scheduled for today in Jos, Plateau State, in honour of Buhari “and in observance of the state burial and period of national mourning declared by the federal government.”
The Presidency also yesterday postponed a special Federal Executive Council session earlier scheduled for today in Buhari’s honour to a yet-to-be-disclosed date. Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the meeting “will no longer be held as announced earlier, given the state funeral in his hometown, Daura, on the same day.”
Earlier yesterday, the National Assembly suspended legislative activities in the Senate and the House of Representatives to July 22. A statement by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, said all members of the National Assembly are urged to reschedule their engagements to enable full participation in Buhari’s burial activities.

ADC, N/West govs declare days of mourning
The opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) also announced a three-day period of mourning to honour Buhari’s life and legacy.
The ADC’s interim national chairman and former president of the Senate, David Mark, in a statement, said it had suspended all political activities for the period in recognition of the impact of Buhari’s leadership and contributions to Nigeria.
The ADC asked the federal government to immortalise Buhari in order to preserve his enduring legacies for future generations.
Similarly, the North West Governors’ Forum declared today a public holiday in honour of the late former president.
A statement by the chairman of the forum and governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, said the holiday was a collective tribute to Buhari’s discipline, service and sacrifice for Nigeria.
The All Progressives Congress (APC), North West, ordered the closure of its secretariat and directed state chapters in the zone to follow suit.
According to the APC National Vice Chairman (North West), Garba Mohammed Datti, the decision, effective July 14 aligns with the national directive to shut down the APC secretariat for three working days.
“This gesture reflects the deep reverence we hold for a man who dedicated his entire life to serving Nigeria and humanity,” a statement by the party’s zonal publicity secretary, Musa Mailafiya Mada, partly read.
Kaduna, Kano, Jos residents pray for ex-president
At Buhari’s residence located along the Sultan Lane Street, Unguwar Sarki GRA, Kaduna, our correspondent saw security operatives stationed in parked vehicles; while residents offered special prayers during congregational sessions at Mugadishu Layout Mosque, Alfarooq Mosque, Danbushiya Mosque, Millennium Area Mosque, among others.
In many parts of Kano, residents offered prayers for the late leader. Mosque imams led special prayers.
As Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf described Buhari as “a man with deep love for Nigeria whose life embodied discipline and integrity”, flags across the state flew half-mast in Buhari’s honour, the Kano State House of Assembly on Monday held a valedictory session in Buhari’s honour, describing him as a selfless leader whose legacy would endure in the country’s political and military history.
Many residents of Kano, including Aisha Idris, a trader at Kofar Wambai Market, Malam Nura Sani, a retired civil servant and Rufa’i Usman mourned the former leader and prayed for him.
Many residents of Jos, the Plateau State capital, yesterday performed Ga’ib–funeral prayer in absentia–for Buhari. The prayer, held at Yandoya community in Jos North Local Government Area of the state, was attended by sympathisers came from different communities.
An imam in the community, said Buhari was a leader who, within his capacity, contributed greatly to the country.
He said despite his shortcomings, the former president deserved to be honored by all and sundry.
I was admitted in same UK hospital with Buhari – Abdulsalami
A former head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar, said he was in the same hospital with Buhari in London, before his death.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television yesterday, Abdulsalami said he had just been discharged when he received the news of Buhari’s demise.
“Unfortunately, we were in the same hospital together. But I have been discharged,” he said.
“So, when I heard the news of his passing away, I quickly went there to condole with the family and see what could be done in order to get the corpse ready to be taken home.”
Reflecting on their decades-long relationship, Abdulsalami said his bond with Buhari dated back to 1962 when they both joined the Nigerian military.
“He was my senior; and during the unfortunate civil war, we were fighting in the same sector with him,” Abdulsalami said.
He described the late president as “a gentleman who was very quiet and exceptionally honest”.
“You could trust Buhari with anything on this earth and he would not betray you,” he added.
On Buhari’s record in office, Abdulsalami commended his anti-corruption stance but acknowledged that some officials in his administration fell short of expectations.
“When he became a democratic president, he tried his best to fight corruption. Unfortunately, some of the officers who served with him were found wanting. They didn’t do as much as was expected from them,” he said.
Abdulsalami said Buhari’s death is a “big blow” to Nigeria and the sub-region.
He said President Tinubu’s decision to send Vice President Kashim Shettima and his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila to the UK to oversee the return of Buhari’s remains “shows the magnitude of what has befallen Nigeria.”
“With the passing away of Buhari, politics in Nigeria will certainly change — I hope for the better”, the former head of state said.
Additional reports by Baba Martins, Al-Mustapha A. Mustapha, Maureen Onochie, Seun Adeuyi, Mohammed Ibrahim Yaba, Salim Umar Ibrahim & Ado Abubakar Musa