The immediate past Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, has passed away at the age of 82.
This was confirmed in a statement released on Sunday, 13 July, by Buhari’s media aide, Garba Shehu.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe statement said the former president died in a hospital in London on Sunday afternoon.
“The family of the former president has announced the passing of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London,” the statement said.
Buhari served as military head of State from 1983 to 1985 when he was overthrown by General Ibrahim Babangida.
He later served as Nigeria’s civilian president from 2015 to 2023 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He won the presidential election in 2015 on the basis of his earlier stance on anti-corruption.
Prior to winning in 2015, Buhari had run for president of Nigeria on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2003 and 2007, and on the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011, but was unsuccessful.
In December 2014, he emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 election.
Born to a Muslim family in Daura, Kastina State, on 17 December 1942, Buhari finished his primary education in 1953. He attended Katsina Provincial Secondary School for his secondary education from 1956 to 1961.
He joined the military In 1962, at the age of 19. In January 1963, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and appointed Platoon Commander of the Second Infantry Battalion in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He attended further military training in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, India, and the United States.
After playing different military roles during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 -1970, Buhari was appointed governor of the Old North Eastern State and later as the first Governor of Borno State when the North Eastern State was divided into three states – Bauchi, Borno and Gongola – between 1975 and 1976.
In addition, he served as a Federal Commissioner for Natural Resources and Petroleum (now a minister). Buhari became the chairman of the newly established Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation from 1977 until 1978.
He led the military coup of December 1983 that overthrew the civilian government of Shehu Shagari in the Second Nigerian Republic, which was revived in 1979 by Olusegun Obasanjo military administration. Major General Buhari was overthrown in a coup led by Major General Ibrahim Babangida in August 1985. After spending three years in detention, Buhari was released in December 1988.
Under General Sani Abacha’s military government, Buhari also served as Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
