The president of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló and the Prime Minister of Niger Republic, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, yesterday joined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other leaders for the burial of former President Muhammadu Buhari at his residence in Daura, Katsina State.
The former leader died in a London clinic on Sunday at 82.
His remains were yesterday conveyed to Nigeria by Vice President Shettima and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, aboard a Nigerian Air Force flight-FGT 001, which touched ground at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport, around 2pm.
Among those who accompanied Buhari’s remains home were his widow, Aisha and other family members.
President Tinubu, alongside Shettima; Buhari’s deputy, Yemi Osinbajo; president of Guinea Bissau; the Prime Minister of Niger; Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, governors and other dignitaries, received the former president’s casket at the airport.
Buhari’s remains were lowered into the grave at 5:50pm amidst tears and prayers by his immediate family members and mourners.
Hundreds of supporters, some of them chanting his name and praying for Allah’s mercy for the former president, climbed trees around the vicinity of his country home to bid him farewell. Daura was filled to the brim as never seen before, residents said.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was also there to pay his last respect to the former president.
The leadership of the National Assembly in attendance included Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin and the speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
Senator Kawu Sumaila, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Senator Adamu Aliero, Senator Sani Bello, former Senator Abu Ibrahim and former Senator Yariman Bakura.
Also in attendance were the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; the governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf; the governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani.
Fatima Buhari, the first daughter of late former president on her arrival at her father’s residence, ahead of his burial in Daura on Tuesday
Others were; Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Also at the funeral were; Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, and Cross River State Governor Bassey Edet Otu.
Former governors who attended the funeral included Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina State), Nasir El-Rufa’I (Kaduna), Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Senator Ali Modu Sheriff (Borno); Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto), Ibukunle Amosun (Ogun), among others.
Security chiefs in attendance included the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; the Chief of Army Staff; Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede; the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla; former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Y. Buratai (rtd) and the former Director-General of Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi.
Also in attendance were the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political and Other Matters Ibrahim Kabir Masari; the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle and the Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari
As well as a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, among others.
The funeral prayer was led by the Chief Imam of Daura, Sheikh Alhaji Salisu Rabiu.
From the business community were Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata and Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, among others.
The funeral prayer for the former president could not be done as planned, not only due to the change of schedule caused by the delay in transporting the remains back to the country, but also by the mammoth crowd that attended the funeral from within and outside the country.
It was earlier scheduled that the funeral prayer would take place at a helipad, a few metres away from the late president’s residence and that was where all the dignitaries gathered to await the arrival of Buhari’s remains.
Despite the efforts of the numerous security agents on the ground, the remains of the former president could not be taken into the helipad area which was locked earlier in order to control the crowd.
It was observed that the dignitaries and other people had to struggle out of the place to be able to attend the funeral prayer.
A lot of people, including men, women and children, were seen lined up along the street, paying their last respect to the late former leader they held so dearly in their hearts.
Many women were seen crying profusely as the ambulance passed by them, with some of them praying for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness for the late president.
