The planned burial of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away in London on Sunday, has been postponed to Tuesday, July 15, 2025, due to logistics challenges that have delayed the return of his body to Nigeria.
Empowered Newswire has learned from credible sources in London that the earliest the flight carrying Buhari’s remains can depart for Nigeria will be late Tuesday morning or early afternoon.
Factors affecting the delay include hospital protocols, airport arrangements, and other logistical considerations.
As a result, the initial plan to bury the former president in Daura today, Monday, could not be executed and has now been officially rescheduled for tomorrow.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is currently in London, has been fully briefed on the latest developments. At the time of filing this report, he was communicating the update to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
A senior official at the Presidential Villa also confirmed that President Tinubu, who had earlier planned to preside over a special Federal Executive Council (FEC) session on Tuesday in Buhari’s honour, is now considering moving the meeting to Wednesday.
“The President’s plan initially was to personally attend the burial today in Daura and then preside over the special FEC meeting tomorrow. But now that the burial can no longer hold today, the President who is still desirous of attending the burial now planned for tomorrow would likely shift the FEC session to honor Buhari to Wednesday from earlier plan to hold it on Tuesday,” the source said.
Once the President finalizes his decision, a fresh notice will be issued to all members of the Federal Executive Council who had initially been invited to the Tuesday session.
There are also indications that President Tinubu may extend invitations to former presidents to participate in the special FEC meeting to honour his predecessor, although that idea remains under consideration as of press time.
In a show of high regard for the late leader, Tinubu approved the use of the largest aircraft in the Presidential Fleet for the Vice President’s trip to London.
“A close source to President Tinubu said as a mark of his respect to Buhari, the President approved that the VP took the largest aircraft in the Nigerian Presidential Fleet to fly to London yesterday to convey the body of the late immediate Past President. Normally that particular aircraft is always on standby to convey whoever is the sitting President. The VP takes a small presidential jet,” Empowered Newswire has learned.
Earlier, the Punch newspaper reported that President Tinubu had summoned an emergency Federal Executive Council meeting for Tuesday, July 15, in Buhari’s honour—a plan now expected to change following the postponement of the burial.
Tinubu had personally signed a tribute on Sunday evening acknowledging Buhari’s passing and directed that, “all national flags fly at half-staff across the country for seven days from today,” referring to Sunday, July 13.
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