Nigeria’s former president, Muhammadu Buhari, has passed away at the age of 82.
He died on Sunday , July 13, 2025, while receiving treatment at a hospital in London
The news of his death was announced by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), which read:
“INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHIRRAJIUUN.
The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, this afternoon in a clinic in London.
May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin.”
According to Premium Times, Buhari had been abroad since April for a routine medical check-up but fell seriously ill shortly after. Sources close to the family revealed that his health had improved after he left office in 2023 but deteriorated again earlier this year.
Buhari served as Nigeria’s democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023, having previously ruled the country as a military head of state between January 1984 and August 1985. He left office on May 29, 2023, after completing two constitutionally mandated terms.
Throughout his presidency, Buhari frequently traveled to the UK for medical treatment, a routine that continued post-presidency.
Early Life and Military Career
Muhammadu Buhari was born on December 17, 1942, in Daura, Katsina State, to Adamu and Zulaiha Buhari. After the death of his father at the age of four, he was raised by his mother. He attended primary school in Daura and Maiduguri from 1948 to 1952, then Katsina Middle School, and later the Katsina Provincial Secondary School (now Government College, Katsina), where he earned his West African School Certificate.
Buhari joined the Nigerian Army in 1961 and began his military training at the Nigerian Military Training College in Kaduna. He went on to train in the UK, India, and the United States, holding several key command and political roles, including Governor of the North Eastern State, Federal Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, and Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
He came to power through a military coup in December 1983 and ruled until he was ousted in another coup in August 1985.
Return to Civilian Politics
Buhari re-entered the political scene in the early 2000s. He contested the presidency multiple times before finally winning in 2015 under the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party formed through the merger of several opposition groups, including his own Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
His anti-corruption image, reputation for discipline, and promise of “change” helped him defeat incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 elections. He was re-elected in 2019 and completed his second term in 2023.
Personal Life
Buhari was married to Safinatu Yusuf from 1971 until their separation in 1988. In 1989, he married Aisha Halilu. He is survived by his wife and ten children.
His death marks the end of an era in Nigerian politics. Tributes have begun pouring in from across Africa and beyond, honoring his legacy as a military leader, democratic president, and key figure in Nigeria’s modern history.
