Former President Muhammadu Buhari was laid to rest on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in his native Daura, Katsina State, in a ceremony marked by both military precision and heartfelt mourning. At exactly 5:50 p.m., his flag-draped casket was lowered into a family plot under the watchful eyes of relatives, dignitaries, and local residents, bringing to a close the journey of Nigeria’s 82-year-old statesman .


Earlier in the day, Buhari’s remains arrived in Daura following a military farewell parade at Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport in neighboring Katsina City. President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima led the delegation that received him, underscoring the former leader’s enduring stature within the nation’s political landscape .


The burial combined full military honours—including a 21-gun salute and the playing of the national anthem—with traditional Islamic rites. Imams delivered the Janazah (funeral) prayers, after which family members and close aides recited final Qur’anic verses. The ceremony unfolded against the backdrop of the rural town that had shaped Buhari’s early life, its red-dust roads lined with mourners chanting “Sai Baba” (“Forward, Father”) in tribute .


In remarks released to the press, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda praised Buhari’s commitment to discipline and anti-corruption, calling him “a man of conviction whose legacy will forever bind Daura to the nation.” Despite the controversies that marked his eight years in civilian office and earlier military rule, many attendees spoke of the former president’s austere lifestyle and steadfast principles as hallmarks of his public service .


As the sun dipped below the horizon, the final shovelfuls of earth were cast atop the grave, sealing the resting place of one of Nigeria’s longest-serving leaders. In Daura’s quiet aftermath, residents reflected on the life of the man they affectionately called “Mai Gaskiya” (“Truth-Teller”), whose story now becomes part of the town’s enduring history.