The skies over Daura, Katsina State, were heavy with grief on Tuesday as the town mourned one of its most iconic sons. Under a grey and sorrowful sky, friends, family, and dignitaries gathered to lay former President Muhammadu Buhari to rest in the soil of his birthplace.
As the solemn procession began, Buhari’s casket — draped in the green-white-green of the Nigerian flag — was lowered into the earth at exactly 5:50 p.m., surrounded by grieving relatives, children, and associates. The 82-year-old former leader received full military honours, including gun salutes and ceremonial processions befitting a former Commander-in-Chief. Islamic rites were also observed in accordance with his faith.
Daura, a modest agrarian town in Nigeria’s northwest, is more than Buhari’s final resting place — it is where his journey began. To his devoted northern base, he was “Mai Gaskiya,” Hausa for “the truth-teller,” a title that captured the fierce loyalty he inspired.
Buhari’s career in national service spanned nearly a decade, making him one of Nigeria’s longest-serving leaders. He first ruled as military head of state from January 1984 to August 1985 and returned to power as a democratically elected president in 2015, serving two full terms before handing over to his successor, President Bola Tinubu, in May 2023.
President Tinubu led the delegation of mourners, which included First Lady Aisha Buhari, Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice Presidents Yemi Osinbajo and Atiku Abubakar, billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote, traditional rulers, religious leaders, current and former governors, ministers, and many others.
The late president’s remains were flown into Katsina from the United Kingdom, where he passed away on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at The London Clinic following a prolonged illness. President Tinubu received the body at the airport before it was transported to Daura for burial.
The Federal Government declared a national day of mourning, with flags flown at half-mast across the country in honour of the departed leader.
Though Buhari leaves behind a complex legacy, his place in Nigerian history is undeniable. He was widely seen as a crusader against corruption and indiscipline, but his administration also faced criticism over economic hardship, security challenges, and controversial policies.
In death, as in life, Buhari remains a towering — and polarizing — figure in Nigeria’s political landscape. For many, the “Mai Gaskiya” will be remembered as a man of conviction, whose vision shaped a significant chapter in the nation’s history.
