Nigeria Declares Public Holiday, 7-Day Mourning

The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared Tuesday a public holiday to honour former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died at the age of 82 in a London clinic on Sunday after years of battling ill health.

The announcement comes as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who had earlier declared a seven-day national mourning period, approved the holiday to allow Nigerians to reflect on the late leader’s legacy.

“This public holiday provides an opportunity for all Nigerians to reflect on his life, leadership, and the values he upheld,” said Nigeria’s Interior Minister in an official statement on Monday evening.

Buhari’s death has drawn reactions across the country and beyond, with flags flown at half-mast and tributes pouring in from leaders, political allies, and citizens alike.

Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State, who returned from London on Monday after visiting Buhari’s family, confirmed that the former president’s remains will arrive Nigeria by noon on Tuesday and be buried at 2 p.m. in Daura, his hometown located about 80km from Katsina city.

“The corpse will arrive by 12 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) and the burial will happen by 2 p.m.,” Radda disclosed, explaining that the funeral, initially scheduled for Monday was delayed due to logistical reasons.

Buhari’s home in Daura has already begun receiving mourners as family members, friends, political allies, and well-wishers await the arrival of his body.

Despite his status as a former head of state, officials say there will be no state funeral. Islamic cleric Abdullahi Garangamawa told the reporters that in accordance with Islamic rites, Buhari would be buried swiftly in a simple ceremony.

Buhari’s passing marks the end of a significant era in Nigeria’s political history. He ruled the country twice. First as a military leader in the 1980s, and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023. He made history as the first opposition candidate in Nigeria to defeat a sitting president.

Vice President Kashim Shettima confirmed that Buhari died after a brief illness, although further medical details were not disclosed.

As the nation prepares to lay him to rest, many are remembering Buhari’s complex legacy; one shaped by his austere leadership style, anti-corruption stance, and firm grip on national security, which often divided public opinion.