The body of former President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to arrive in Katsina on Tuesday, July 15, at 12 noon and is expected to be buried by 3PM in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State. The Federal Government has officially confirmed plans for a full state burial and has constituted a high-level Inter-Ministerial Committee to coordinate the ceremonies in partnership with the Katsina State Government and the Buhari family.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will personally receive the late president’s remains at the airport in Katsina, after which the body will be moved to Daura for the Islamic funeral prayer and burial at Buhari’s residence. According to Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the burial holds great national significance and is being handled with the dignity befitting one of Nigeria’s most influential leaders.
The committee overseeing the arrangements is chaired by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. Its members include ministers from key portfolios such as Defence, Finance, Interior, and Works, as well as top security and presidential aides.
To honour Buhari, President Tinubu has declared seven days of national mourning starting Sunday, July 13. During this period, flags are to be flown at half-mast nationwide. A public holiday has also been declared for Tuesday, July 15. In line with the schedule, the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting has been moved to Friday, July 18, to allow government officials to attend the funeral.
Twenty-five FEC members are expected to be present in Daura for the Third-Day Islamic prayer (Fidau) on Wednesday, July 16. Condolence registers have been opened at all federal ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja. Additional registers are being provided at Nigerian embassies and missions abroad.
Vice President Kashim Shettima is currently in London leading a delegation to finalise the repatriation of Buhari’s body and related documentation. A brief military ceremony is planned upon the body’s arrival at Katsina airport before it is transported to Daura for burial.
President Tinubu continues to receive condolence messages from around the world. Several heads of state and senior foreign dignitaries have expressed their intention to attend the burial, with further details expected soon. The funeral of the former president is shaping into one of the most significant national events in Nigeria’s recent history, honouring a man who led the country as both a military and democratic leader.
