Former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari, who led Africa’s most populous country from 2015 to 2023 and was the first Nigerian president to oust an incumbent through the ballot box, died in London on Sunday, a presidential spokesman said.
“President Buhari died today in London … following a prolonged illness,” President Bola Tinubu’s spokesman said in a statement.The spokesman said Tinubu had directed Vice-President Kashim Shettima and his chief of staff to travel to London to collect and accompany 82-year-old Buhari’s body back to Nigeria for burial.
A Muslim, Buhari was expected to be buried according to Muslim rites in his home state of northwestern Katsina, government officials said.Buhari first led the country as a military ruler after a coup in the 1980s.
He earned a devoted following for his brand of anti-corruption conviction politics.He referred to himself as a “converted democrat” and swapped his military uniform for kaftans and prayer caps.
