Latest news with #Daura
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
'Why I miss Buhari burial'
Dem don bury former Nigeria president Muhammadu Buhari wey die on Sunday. Di state burial wey di Federal goment organise happun on Wednesday for Daura, Katsina state, Northwest Nigeria. Dis na a day afta dem declare public in honour of di former president. Many people including Nigeria President Bola Tinubu, leaders of foreign kontris and diplomats follow for di crowd of mourners wey land for Daura. Also, ogbonge political leaders – both from the ruling and opposition parties lead by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also full for dia. But pesin wey many pipo notice im absence na Peter Obi, leader of di Obidient Movement. A group of young and energetic supporters of di opposition leader wey contest and pull crowd for di 2023 presidential election as a first timer. Many pipo bin dey wonder why Oga Peter Obi no show for di burial. Dis also generate many reactions for social media. Peter Obi tok why e miss Buhari burial Peter Obi na popular voice among young pipo for Nigerian wey don come to appreciate im economic lifestyle. Most times dem dey like to see am ontop national platforms and dem don begin ginger am again to contest di 2027 presidential election. Though e miss di former President burial, Peter Obi later join new set of mourners wey land for Daura. E join former Vice President Atiku, Nasir El-Rufai and oda opposition leaders to visit di family of di deceased former leader. "E dey hard for me to come yesterday [Wednesday] becos like dem tok bifor, e bin dey very hard to get flight to enta Katsina," Obi tell BBC for interview for Daura. E add say "Even wen you get di flight, e dey hard to land for di airport becos e don full. And mourning period na yesterday, today and tomorrow. And whoever dey hia now still dey part of di mourning"
Reuters
7 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Nigeria bids farewell to former leader Buhari with burial in home state
KATSINA, Nigeria, July 15 (Reuters) - Nigeria's former President Muhammad Buhari was buried on Tuesday in the backyard of his home in northern Katsina state, as residents climbed trees to bid farewell to the 82-year-old. Buhari ruled Africa's most populous nation between 2015 and 2023 and died in a London hospital on Sunday after an undisclosed illness. He was one of two former Nigerian military strongmen who returned to power via the ballot box. In his hometown of Daura, supporters chanted "Sai Baba", an endearing name used by followers, while they attempted to catch a last glimpse of Buhari's casket as it was lowered into the ground. The coffin, draped in Nigeria's white and green national colours, had arrived at the airport in Katsina earlier and was received by President Bola Tinubu, government officials and men and women in traditional Muslim attire. The former president was given a military parade and a 21-gun salute at the airport before his body was transported to Daura, about 80 kilometres away. Tinubu has declared seven days of national mourning and a public holiday on Tuesday to honour Buhari. After first rising to power in the early 1980s as a military leader following a coup, Buhari made a comeback as a democratically elected president when he defeated incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. Buhari's eight-year rule was marked by economic recession, foreign currency shortages, a slump in oil production and insecurity that spread across the country. Even so, Buhari continued to enjoy a cult-like following in his home state and across the largely Muslim northern Nigeria. Many supporters admired his austere lifestyle and anti-corruption crusade, although critics say few public officials were jailed for graft.
Al Jazeera
7 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Nigeria honours ex-President Buhari with state burial and tribute
Nigeria's former President Muhammadu Buhari was buried in the backyard of his home in Daura, a town in the northern Katsina state, as supporters climbed trees and shouted 'Sai Baba' to bid farewell to the 82-year-old. A military parade and 21-gun salute honoured the former president on Tuesday at the airport before his body was transported 80km (50 miles) to Daura, where crowds surged to catch a final glimpse as the casket was lowered into the ground. Buhari died on Sunday in a London hospital following an undisclosed illness. His coffin, wrapped in Nigeria's green and white flag, was flown into Katsina and met by President Bola Tinubu, senior government officials, and mourners. Buhari, who first seized power in a 1983 military coup and ruled for less than two years, returned to lead Africa's most populous country as a civilian after defeating Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election. He served two terms until stepping down in 2023. President Tinubu declared seven days of national mourning and a public holiday to honour Buhari's legacy. While Buhari's presidency saw some achievements in infrastructure and anti-corruption efforts, his time in office was also marked by economic downturns, worsening insecurity, and a prolonged crisis in Nigeria's oil sector. Still, many in northern Nigeria viewed him as a principled and austere leader who tried to steer the country through turbulent times. Supporters, some in tears, chanted as the casket disappeared from view, marking the end of an era for a man both revered and criticised. Buhari leaves behind a mixed legacy Known for his austere style and fiery rhetoric against corruption, Buhari was seen by his supporters as a reformer. 'I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody,' he often declared, seeking to position himself above Nigeria's entrenched political factions. Yet his presidency struggled to contain rising insecurity. While he promised to defeat Boko Haram and restore order, armed violence spread far beyond the northeast. Gunmen, separatists, and criminal groups operated with impunity across large parts of the country by the end of his tenure. Still, Buhari leaves behind a legacy as a symbol of democratic change in Nigeria, even if the transformation he promised remained incomplete. Speaking to Al Jazeera from London following Buhari's death over the weekend, Alexis Akwagyiram, managing editor at Semafor Africa and a longtime observer of Nigerian politics, said Buhari will be remembered for achieving what many thought impossible: winning power as an opposition candidate. 'He was the first opposition candidate since the return to civilian rule to win at the ballot box,' Akwagyiram said, referencing Buhari's 2015 victory over Jonathan. 'History will remember him favourably for that.' Yet Akwagyiram was blunt about the failings that marked Buhari's time in office. He described the former general as 'very ineffective' in managing Nigeria's economy, citing his insistence on maintaining a strong naira, which led to a convoluted system of multiple exchange rates and two recessions during his tenure. Despite the criticisms, Akwagyiram highlighted why Buhari resonated so strongly with many Nigerians. 'He had the personal brand of integrity and honesty,' he said. 'In a political climate renowned for corruption, that was appealing.' Buhari's austere image and northern support base helped him build a national coalition that twice propelled him to the presidency, a rare feat in Nigerian politics. 'He didn't try to enrich himself,' Akwagyiram said. 'That's something history will look on favourably.'
France 24
7 days ago
- Business
- France 24
MSF accuses Ethiopian soldiers of 'targeted killing' of 3 staffers in Tigray in 2021
Also, former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari was laid to rest on Tuesday in his hometown of Daura under tight security and significant public interest. Thousands of people, including dignitaries and foreign heads of state, mourned Buhari, who died aged 82 in a London clinic. Having started out as a military ruler before becoming an elected president, Buhari leaves behind a mixed legacy of broken promises, ongoing insecurity and economic hardship. And In Côte d'Ivoire, the next generation of tech talent is racing to transform the country's farming sector. Dozens of students competed in an energetic robot-building competition, designing machines to modernise the country's outdated agricultural sector. This is part of a bold national initiative to combine innovation with one of the economy's oldest backbones.
France 24
7 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Former Nigerian president Buhari buried at family compound
Thousands of Nigerians gathered for public prayers in the town of Daura before the former leader was laid to rest in private at his family compound, which had been bustling with mourners paying their respects since his death over the weekend. Buhari, who died at the age of 82 in a London clinic on Sunday, ruled Nigeria first as a military strongman in the 1980s and then later as a self-described "converted democrat", serving two terms as president from 2015 to 2023. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, Africa's wealthiest billionaire Aliko Dangote, the president of Guinea-Bissau and prime minister of Niger, as well as former Niger president Mahamadou Issoufou were all in attendance, local media reported. The presence of Niger's Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine came after his country and Nigeria saw diplomatic relations deteriorate since a 2023 coup overthrew Niamey's civilian leaders. As Buhari's body made its way from England to Daura, less than 20 kilometres (about 10 miles) from the Niger border, a massive security presence of police, soldiers and plainclothes officers was deployed in the usually sleepy town. Nigeria, particularly in the north, has for years suffered attacks from insurgent jihadists and armed criminal gangs. Although he was elected on a mandate for change, Buhari's time in office failed to put an end to the violence. He made history in 2015 as the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent leader at the ballot box. But Buhari was accused of squandering both political opportunity and popular goodwill in his time at the helm. Economic woes further dogged the oil giant during his tenure, while poverty, corruption and inequality remain entrenched. He retained a reputation for personal austerity, however -- a rarity in cash-soaked Nigerian politics. "Baba will be remembered for his honesty," mourner Kabir Ibrahim told AFP. Military honours Images broadcast from inside the family compound showed a military band playing a final send-off for Buhari, whose remains were draped in the green-and-white Nigerian flag, as soldiers saluted and mourners dressed in colourful kaftans bowed their heads. Young men climbed trees overlooking the courtyard to catch a glimpse of the final rites. The flag was removed and his body, draped in white, was buried. Security ahead of the internment was so tight that Buhari's family members found themselves locked out of the family compound Tuesday afternoon, including Fatima Isah, who said she was the ex-president's 78-year-old niece. "Buhari was my provider, but he is no more. To add to my torment, they have refused me entry," said Isah, in between sobs. Muttaqa Mahmud Bebeji, a civil servant, travelled 150 kilometres from the city of Kano to pay his respects among the "sea of the people," calling Buhari "irreplaceable." Despite harsh criticisms of Buhari's presidency, Daura welcomed him home. "Buhari was an upright man who did his best for Nigeria, but he was human and prone to shortcomings," Nasiru Abdullahi, a 35-year-old tyre mechanic, told AFP on the eve of the funeral.
