Nigeria's former president Buhari dies in London at 82

LAGOS - Nigeria’s former president Muhammadu Buhari has died at the age of 82 in London, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.

His family confirmed the death on Sunday through a statement issued by his spokesperson Garba Shehu, who said Buhari passed away at a clinic in London.

Britain's King Charles III (L) receives President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari during an audience at Buckingham Palace, in London on November 9, 2022. Former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari -- who led his country first as a military strongman and later as an elected democrat -- died Sunday at the age of 82, an aide said. (Photo by Stefan Rousseau / WPA Rota / AFP)

Born on Dec 17, 1942, Buhari was among the key figures in the December 1983 military coup that overthrew Nigeria’s Second Republic. At the time, he was serving as General Officer Commanding the Third Armoured Division in Jos.

Following the coup, Buhari assumed power and appointed Tunde Idiagbon as Chief of General Staff, effectively the second-in-command.

The coup marked the end of Nigeria’s Second Republic, which had restored multi-party democracy in 1979 after 13 years of military rule.

Buhari contested the presidency several times as a civilian, under the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2003 and 2007, and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011.

In 2014, he became the presidential candidate of the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC) and won the 2015 general election, defeating then-incumbent Goodluck Jonathan. It was the first time an incumbent president in Nigeria had lost a re-election bid.

Buhari was sworn in on May 29, 2015, and secured a second term in 2019 after defeating former vice-president Atiku Abubakar by over three million votes.

He handed over power to current president Bola Tinubu on May 29, 2023. - BERNAMA-ANADOLU