July 12, 2025
Former President Muhammadu Buhari has passed away at the age of 82.
His death was confirmed on Sunday afternoon by his former spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, who revealed that the former Nigerian leader died at a hospital in the United Kingdom.
In a brief statement issued to the press, Shehu said:
“The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London. May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus.”
A Life of Service
Born in 1942, Muhammadu Buhari served as Nigeria’s military Head of State from January 1984 to August 1985 following a coup d’état. Decades later, he returned to national leadership as a democratically elected president under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Buhari ran for the presidency three times—in 2003, 2007, and 2011—before achieving victory in 2015, defeating then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in a historic election that marked the first peaceful transfer of power from one civilian administration to an opposition candidate in Nigeria’s history.
He was re-elected in 2019 and completed his second term in office in May 2023.
Prior to his presidency, Buhari also served as Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) in 1994 under the regime of General Sani Abacha, overseeing nationwide infrastructure projects.
National Honours and Recognition
Throughout his lifetime, Buhari received numerous national and international recognitions, including:
Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR)
Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR)
Defence Service Medal
National Service Medal
Forces Service Star
Congo Medal
Global Seal of Integrity
Awaiting Funeral Details
As of press time, further details regarding funeral arrangements have not been announced.
Tributes are expected to pour in from across Nigeria and the international community in honour of a man who shaped Nigeria’s military and democratic journey for more than four decades.
