FG announces state burial plans for late President Muhammadu Buhari
The Nigerian government has unveiled official arrangements for the state burial of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away recently at the age of 81.
President Bola Tinubu has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee to coordinate the burial activities in collaboration with the Katsina State government and the late president’s family.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, during a press briefing on Monday. He said the committee will be chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.
Other members of the committee include the Ministers of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Defence, Works, Interior, the FCT, Housing and Urban Development, Art, Culture and Creative Economy, and the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare.
Also included are the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, and the Chief of Defence Staff.
Senior aides to the president—including the Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination and the Senior Special Assistant on Political and Other Matters—are also members of the committee. The Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, will serve as the committee’s secretary.
According to the minister, 25 members of the Federal Executive Council have been directed to travel to Katsina to take part in the full schedule of the burial rites and remain for the third-day prayers in Daura, scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, 2025.
“As we prepare to bid farewell to one of Nigeria’s foremost statesmen, the Federal Government urges all Nigerians to join in prayers and reflection for the repose of the soul of our former leader,” Idris stated.
The announcement signals the beginning of a national mourning period and a series of commemorative events to honour Buhari’s legacy as a military ruler (1983–1985) and two-term civilian president (2015–2023).
