President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared seven days of national mourning following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday in London.
In a condolence message released on Sunday, Tinubu ordered that all national flags be flown at half-mast across the country for one week, beginning the same day.
“As a mark of respect to our former leader, I have directed that all national flags fly at half-staff across the country for seven days from today,” the president said.
President Tinubu also announced that an emergency session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will be held on Tuesday in honour of the late president. He added that the federal government will give Buhari a full state funeral in recognition of his service and contributions to the country.
Former President Buhari will be laid to rest on Monday in Daura, Katsina State, according to Islamic rites. His death was confirmed by his former media aides, Garba Shehu and Bashir Ahmed, through posts on X.
Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s military head of state from 1983 to 1985 and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023, died at 4:30 pm in a London clinic after battling an undisclosed illness.
President Tinubu has dispatched Vice President Kashim Shettima to London to oversee the return of Buhari’s body for burial.