The body of former President Muhammadu Buhari arrived in Nigeria on Monday and began its final journey, a solemn road trip to Daura, Katsina State, where he will be buried beside his parents in accordance with Islamic rites.

The late president, who died on Sunday, July 13, at the age of 82 in a London clinic, returned home aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft that landed at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport, Katsina, at about 2:00 p.m.

The atmosphere at the airport was subdued but dignified, as a military honour guard stood in salute while Buhari’s casket, draped in national colours, was received by federal officials, family members, and close associates.

Vice President, Kashim Shettima, led the official federal delegation from London, acting on the instruction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who had earlier arrived in Katsina and joined Governor Dikko Umar Radda to welcome the remains of the former Nigerian leader.

Also present was First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, who joined the dignitaries at the airport for what has become a national farewell to one of the country’s most consequential political figures.

Following the brief military ceremony, Buhari’s casket was placed into a hearse, and the convoy quietly departed by road to Daura, the modest hometown where his life began and where he will now be laid to rest.

As the convoy snaked through Katsina’s rural landscapes, locals lined the roads in silence, some shedding tears, others offering prayers for the man they fondly called “Mai Gaskiya” (The Honest One).

In Daura, preparations were already in place for Islamic funeral rites, with religious leaders and community members gathered to receive the remains.

Buhari’s final resting place is a family gravesite where his father and mother were also buried.

From his early emergence as military Head of State (1983–1985) to his return as civilian president from 2015 to 2023, Buhari’s influence on Nigeria’s political and security landscape remains indelible.