Katsina officials confirm date change as deputy governor inspects Daura burial site

The burial of former President Muhammadu Buhari has been postponed to Tuesday, Katsina State officials announced Monday, adjusting earlier plans for a Monday interment. The late statesman passed away Sunday afternoon at a London medical facility, where a Nigerian presidential delegation arrived Monday morning to repatriate his remains.

Katsina Deputy Governor Lawal Jobe disclosed the schedule change to journalists after inspecting the Daura family compound where burial preparations are underway. His 11:27 a.m. site visit coincided with the departure of the special team dispatched to transport Buhari’s body from the United Kingdom.

The revised timeline allows for proper observation of Islamic burial rites and accommodates expected dignitaries, including President Bola Tinubu and regional leaders. Security sources confirm heightened deployments in Daura ahead of the ceremony, which will mark Nigeria’s first state funeral for a democratically elected former president in over a decade.

Family representatives emphasized the former leader’s wish for a simple ceremony, though federal authorities are coordinating full military honors befitting his status as former commander-in-chief.