Former President Muhammadu Buhari has died in London at the age of 81.
His death was confirmed Sunday evening by his former Special Assistant on Digital Communications, Bashir Ahmad, via a Facebook post.
Buhari had reportedly been receiving medical treatment at a hospital in London over the past few weeks.
“Baba has passed away,” he said in Hausa, then added “Indeed, from Allah we come and to Him is our return”.
Buhari served as president from 2015 to 2023, after defeating incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in a historic election that marked the first time an opposition candidate unseated a sitting president through the ballot. He was re-elected in 2019 for a second term.
Earlier, Buhari ruled Nigeria as a military head of state from December 1983 until August 1985, when he was overthrown in a palace coup led by then Chief of Army Staff, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.
Born on December 17, 1942, in Daura, present-day Katsina State, Buhari joined the Nigerian Army in 1961 and rose through the ranks to become a Major General. His military regime was marked by an anti-corruption drive and a reputation for strict discipline, though it also drew criticism for human rights abuses and authoritarian practices.
Further details on funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.
