Muhammadu Buhari, former President of Nigeria and a pivotal figure in the country’s post-independence political evolution, has died at the age of 82 in London, following an extended period of illness. His death was confirmed by a spokesperson for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a public announcement on Sunday, 13 July 2025.
Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s head of state twice—first as a military ruler from December 1983 to August 1985, and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023—remains one of the most consequential and polarising leaders in Nigerian history. Born on 17 December 1942 in Daura, Katsina State, in the country’s northwest, Buhari began his military career at the age of 19 and rose to the rank of major-general.
He came to prominence in 1983 after leading a successful military coup that deposed the civilian government of President Shehu Shagari, citing rampant corruption and economic mismanagement. His administration was marked by a rigid anti-corruption drive and a strict social discipline campaign that extended to matters as minute as public queuing behaviour. However, his tenure was short-lived. In August 1985, he was overthrown by then-Chief of Army Staff, General Ibrahim Babangida.
In 2015, after multiple failed attempts at the presidency and a long political journey through various opposition platforms, Buhari made history by defeating incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in what domestic and international observers widely regarded as Nigeria’s fairest and most credible election to date. His victory marked the first time a sitting Nigerian president was removed through the ballot box—a milestone in the nation’s democratic development. This electoral breakthrough was largely propelled by Buhari’s reputation for integrity and his uncompromising stance against public corruption.
Upon assuming office, Buhari declared himself a “converted democrat”, shedding his military garb for civilian leadership. His oft-quoted phrase, “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody,” came to symbolise his attempt to transcend partisan politics and present himself as a leader for all Nigerians.
Yet, the promises of swift reform and national cohesion that greeted his presidency were soon tempered by widespread disillusionment. His initial delay in forming a cabinet—six months after taking office—coincided with a dramatic slump in global oil prices, which left Nigeria’s heavily oil-dependent economy reeling. The prolonged policy vacuum and sluggish decision-making earned him the moniker “Baba Go Slow” among frustrated citizens.
Although Buhari secured re-election in 2019, his second term was marked by formidable challenges: Nigeria suffered its first recession in over two decades, militant disruptions to oil production increased, and security deteriorated as armed groups proliferated beyond the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast. Banditry in the northwest, separatist tensions in the southeast, and mass abductions became tragically commonplace, raising concerns over the federal government’s ability to maintain territorial integrity and civilian safety.
Buhari’s commitment to anti-corruption efforts remained central to his leadership ethos. Throughout his political life, he maintained that Nigeria’s pervasive corruption was a root cause of its developmental stagnation. Nonetheless, critics pointed to a lack of institutional reform and selective prosecutions as evidence that the anti-graft campaign failed to produce systemic change.
Among the more controversial incidents of his earlier military rule was the 1984 attempted kidnapping of Umaru Dikko, a former transport minister and vocal opponent of Buhari’s regime, who had taken refuge in the United Kingdom. The plot, which involved smuggling Dikko in a crate through Stansted Airport, was foiled by British customs officials and significantly strained Nigeria-UK diplomatic relations at the time.
Following his ousting in 1985, Buhari withdrew from national prominence for many years, resurfacing in the 2000s as a civilian politician. His eventual triumph in 2015 symbolised both personal perseverance and Nigeria’s deep yearning for reform and stability.
Buhari is survived by his wife Aisha and several children. Tributes have begun to pour in from across Nigeria and the African continent, with many lauding his ascetic personal lifestyle, military discipline, and enduring influence on Nigerian political thought.
As Nigeria reflects on Buhari’s legacy, it must now reckon with a complex chapter in its history—one characterised by the hopes of a democratic renaissance and the realities of persistent institutional and security challenges.
