Nigeria’s former President, Muhammadu Buhari, has died at the age of 82. The news of his passing was confirmed on Saturday, July 13, 2025, in a statement released by his former spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on behalf of the Buhari family.
“Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Raji’un. The family has announced the passing of the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, this afternoon in a clinic in London. May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin,” the statement read.
Buhari, a former military ruler and two-term democratically elected president, played a prominent role in shaping Nigeria's political landscape. He first came to national prominence as the country’s Head of State between 1983 and 1985 following a military coup. Decades later, he returned to power via the ballot box, serving as Nigeria’s civilian president from 2015 to 2023.
During his time in office, Buhari pursued a wide range of infrastructure and development projects. His administration is remembered for initiating reforms and undertaking major works in education, healthcare, transportation, power and anti-corruption.
In education, his government established several new institutions, including Colleges of Education in six states and a Federal Polytechnic in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State. In the health sector, his administration built and equipped major medical facilities such as the National Cancer Centre in Abuja and specialist hospitals across the country.
He also oversaw the completion of landmark infrastructure projects, including the long-awaited Second Niger Bridge, the Loko-Oweto Bridge, and extensive reconstruction of highways like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway. Under his leadership, Nigeria’s rail network witnessed a revival, and new power plants like the Dadin Kowa and Kashimbilla hydroelectric projects were completed.
After handing over power to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, 2023, Buhari retired from public service and spent most of his time between Daura and London, where he had long received medical care.
His passing has already begun to stir reactions across the country, rekindling past controversies and conspiracy theories that surrounded his health and identity during his time in office. In 2018, popular cleric Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church stirred national debate by alleging that the ‘real’ Buhari had died and been replaced by a body double from Sudan named Jubril. Oyedepo refused to retract the claim, calling it a matter of national embarrassment.
Similarly, separatist leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had claimed as early as 2017 that Buhari had died and predicted the government would only announce it officially two years after his exit from power.
Despite the controversies, tributes have started pouring in from across Nigeria’s political spectrum. Supporters and critics alike have acknowledged his role in steering the country through a complex era of economic reforms, security challenges, and shifting democratic expectations.
His final years were spent largely out of the public eye, with his last known public engagement being at the 2023 handing-over ceremony in Abuja.
As the nation reflects on his life and legacy, prayers have been offered for his peaceful repose. Funeral arrangements are yet to be formally announced by the family.
May his soul rest in peace.
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