Nigeria bid farewell to former President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, as crowds thronged the streets of Daura, his hometown in the country’s northwest, to honor him after his passing on Sunday in London, where he had been receiving medical care.
Buhari first rose to power in 1983 through a military coup, leading an austere regime that lasted less than two years before he was overthrown. Decades later, in 2015, he returned as a democratically elected leader the first opposition candidate to win a presidential vote in Nigeria.
His presidency, which lasted until 2023, was defined by high hopes and deep challenges. Promising to stamp out corruption and tackle insecurity, Buhari’s early popularity eventually gave way to mounting frustration. Violent extremism worsened in the northeast, the economy faltered, and his government faced criticism for its handling of youth protests against police brutality, especially the deadly 2020 crackdown on demonstrators.
President Bola Tinubu described Buhari as “a patriot, a soldier, a statesman… to the very core,” and sent the vice president to escort Buhari’s remains back from the UK.
Yet Buhari’s legacy remains sharply divided. While some recall his anti-corruption drive and efforts to restore order, others point to growing national discord, especially between Nigeria’s largely Muslim north and Christian south, economic hardship, and restrictions on civil liberties.
His frequent, extended absences for medical treatment abroad paid for by taxpayers drew criticism, particularly as many Nigerians continued to suffer under strained health systems at home.
