THE atmosphere in the hometown of late former President Muhammadu Buhari was heavy with grief on Tuesday as his family, led by his first daughter, Fatima Buhari, began arriving ahead of the final rites.
Fatima, visibly devastated, was seen in tears upon her arrival at the Buhari family residence in Daura.
Dressed in black and flanked by close relatives, she was quietly consoled by friends and sympathizers who had gathered to welcome the bereaved family.
Other members of the Buhari family also made their way to the town Tuesday morning in preparation for the burial, as arrangements reached a climax.
Earlier in the day, the body of the former Nigerian leader departed London aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft.
The remains are expected to arrive in Katsina later today before proceeding to Daura for burial, in accordance with Islamic rites.
President Buhari, who died at 82 on Sunday after a prolonged illness, had been receiving treatment in a London hospital where he passed away peacefully.
His death has triggered an outpouring of tributes and nationwide mourning for a man regarded by many as a symbol of discipline, nationalism, and simplicity.
In Daura, security has been heightened around the residence and major access roads, with mourners and sympathizers steadily streaming into the town to pay their last respects.
Meanwhile, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu is also on her way to Daura from Abuja to attend the state funeral.
Her presence underscores the significance of the moment, as the nation prepares to bid farewell to one of its most influential post-independence leaders.
In a show of national solidarity, a 25-member Presidential Burial Committee constituted by President Bola Tinubu is already in Katsina. T
The committee is led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and includes top federal officials and security chiefs.
The committee has been working in coordination with the Katsina State Government, the Daura Emirate Council, and the Buhari family to ensure that the funeral is conducted with dignity and order.
The Federal Government has declared Tuesday, July 15, a public holiday in honour of the late president, while also ordering all national flags to fly at half-mast for seven days across the country and at Nigerian embassies and missions abroad.
In addition, condolence registers have been opened in all federal ministries and parastatals, as well as at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, where dignitaries have been trooping in to sign and offer messages of sympathy.
Buhari served Nigeria both as a military ruler (1983–1985) and as a democratically elected president (2015–2023), becoming only the second Nigerian leader to hold both titles.
His leadership, though often polarizing, earned him a loyal following rooted in his anti-corruption stance, personal frugality, and belief in strong institutional values.
As Daura prepares for the final rites, it is not just a town in mourning but a nation bidding farewell to a man who spent the greater part of his life in service to Nigeria.
