The Federal Government has announced comprehensive burial arrangements for the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday, July 13. The plans were disclosed during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
As part of the official programme, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will personally receive the remains of the late president at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Airport in Katsina by 12 noon on Tuesday, July 15. A brief military ceremony will be held at the airport before the body is transported to Daura, Buhari’s hometown, for the Jana’iza (Islamic funeral prayer) and burial.
To ensure a smooth and dignified state burial, President Tinubu has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume. Members of the committee include several ministers, top security chiefs, presidential aides, and heads of relevant agencies. The General Services Office in the Office of the SGF will serve as the committee’s secretariat.
In addition, twenty-five members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) have been directed to travel to Katsina to participate in the full funeral rites and remain for the Third-Day prayer, scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, in Daura.
President Tinubu has also declared seven days of national mourning beginning from Sunday, July 13. During this period, all flags across Nigeria are to fly at half-mast. A public holiday has also been declared for Tuesday, July 15, in honour of the late former president.
The Special Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, initially planned for Tuesday, has been postponed to Friday, July 18.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima is currently leading a high-level federal delegation in London to oversee the repatriation of Buhari’s remains and finalize necessary diplomatic documentation.
Condolence registers are to be opened in all Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, and at Nigerian embassies and missions abroad.
Minister Idris noted that President Tinubu continues to receive condolence messages from world leaders, underscoring the late Buhari’s stature as a global statesman.
The Federal Government urged Nigerians to unite in prayer and solemn reflection as the country prepares to bid farewell to one of its most prominent political and military figures.