Buhari’s Burial: 130 Aircrafts Land in Katsina + 10 Things To Know
President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima led a galaxy of Nigeria’s elite, including former Presidents, to Daura, Katsina State on Tuesday to pay their final respects as the nation laid to rest the ex-military Head of State and two-term democratically elected President, Muhammadu Buhari.
Tinubu personally received Buhari’s flag-draped remains at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina shortly after 2 p.m., following its departure from London earlier that morning aboard the Presidential Aircraft on which Buhari rode during his eight-year tenure.
The burial ceremony, conducted according to Islamic rites by the Chief Imam of Daura, Sheikh Salisu Rabiu, attracted
1. President Tinubu and close family members witnessed the final interment for former President Muhammadu Buhari at 5.50pm in his Daura residence, Katsina State.
2. The state funeral featured full military honours, including a 21-gun salute.
3. President Tinubu and others walked behind the casket trolley in a solemn procession. The pallbearers escorted the casket into a waiting military hearse for the one-hour journey to Daura, where funeral prayers and the burial ceremony would take place. The funeral prayer held at the PMB Helicopter Ground in Daura
4. The pallbearers wheeled the former leader’s casket in a slow march, in sync with the hymn “God Be With You Till We Meet Again,” passing through a full military guard of honour comprising six officers and 96 soldiers drawn from the Nigerian Armed Forces.
5. The Katsina airport recorded over 130 aircraft landings and departures between Monday and Tuesday.
6. 16 governors led by Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairman and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq graced Buhari’s Burial. Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Mai Mala Buni(Yobe); Abba Yusuf(Kano); Uba Sani(Kaduna); Abdullahi Sule(Nasarawa); Umar Namadi(Jigawa); Nasir Idris(Kebbi); Dauda Lawal(Zamfara); Ahmed Aliyu(Sokoto);Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun(Ogun); Monday Okpebholo(Edo); Hope Uzodimma(Imo) and Bassey Otu(Cross rivers). Former governors in attendance were Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Ali Modu Sheriff (Borno), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Rotimi Ameachi(Rivers), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), and Yahaya Bello (Kogi).
7. Vice President Shettima, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, President Buhari’s wife Aisha, and other family members accompanied President Buhari’s remains from London to Nigeria.
8. International dignitaries include President Umaru Sissoci Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Niger, Ali Zeine, and former President of Niger, Issoufou Mahamadou.
9. Private sector leaders Aliko Dangote, Sayyu Dantata, and Dahiru Mangal joined traditional rulers, including the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Usman; the Emir of Daura, Umar Faruq; and the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, were also present.
10. Former Vice Presidents Yemi Osinbajo and Atiku Abubakar, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, and former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.