Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

- Former president Muhammadu Buhari has died aged 82.

In a statement on Sunday, July 13, his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said Buhari died at a hospital in London.

"The family has announced the passing of the former president, President Muhammadu Buhari, this afternoon, in a clinic in London. May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin," Shehu said.

BBC reported that Nigeria’s immediate past president was reported to have travelled to the UK in April for a routine medical check-up, but subsequently fell ill.

Buhari previously served as Nigeria’s military Head of State (1983–1985), Minister of Petroleum (1976–1978), and Governor of Borno State in 1976.

The former military ruler and self-styled converted democrat later returned to power through elections.

In 2015, Buhari became the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent since the return of multiparty democracy in 1999.

As president, Buhari made a virtue of his "incorruptibility", declaring his relatively modest wealth and saying he had "spurned several past opportunities" to enrich himself.

In 2019, Buhari was re-elected for another four-year term.

Buhari leaves a complex legacy, marked by discipline, controversy, and a peaceful transfer of power.

The former Nigerian president was born in December 1942 in Daura in Katsina State in the far north of Nigeria, near the border with Niger.

Buhari's father, who died when he was four, was Fulani, while his mother, who brought him up, was Kanuri.

During his past interviews, Buhari said he was his father's 23rd child and his mother's 13th.

As a young boy, Buhari attended primary school in Daura before moving on to boarding school in the city of Katsina.

After completing his education, he joined the Nigerian Military Training College and soon became a member of the Nigerian Army, just after the country gained independence.

From 1962 to 1963, Buhari underwent officer training in the United Kingdom, before beginning his rise through the military ranks.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu is among African leaders who shared condolence messages, mourning Buhari.

"I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari. On behalf of the Government and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania, I convey our heartfelt condolences to His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Buhari’s family and the people of Nigeria," Suluhu said.

Mohammed Jammal:

"President Muhammadu Buhari wasn’t just a leader to me, he was my inspiration, my example, my hero. He led with discipline, with dignity, and with a deep love for this country. I admired him deeply. I loved him sincerely. 💔."

Mufti Menk

"The passing away of a legend, the former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, May Allah have mercy on his soul, brought me to tears! He was an upright man who never missed his prayers and a very disciplined believer who served his people to the best of his ability. His name was synonymous with integrity. He was definitely one of those who made me develop a much better perception of Nigerians as a people."

Atiku Abubakar:

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, a man whose life was defined by unflinching patriotism, stoic discipline, and a lifelong commitment to the sovereignty and unity of our great nation.

President Buhari was not just a former Head of State, he was a symbol of Nigeria’s resilience. From the battlefield to the corridors of power, he served with the kind of austere conviction and firm belief in duty that marked him as a soldier of principle and a leader of formidable will."

Buhari was replaced by Bola Tinubu, popularly known as 'father of modern Lagos', in 2023.

Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared Tinubu the winner in the controversial poll.

Tinubu polled 8.8 million votes to defeat former associate-turned-foe Atiku Abubakar and surprise frontrunner Peter Obi, who scored 6.9 million and 6.1 million, respectively.

Source: TUKO.co.ke