Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd), and the Nigeria Customs Service have joined in mourning the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on Sunday in London at the age of 82.
In a statement personally signed by him, Aiyedatiwa described Buhari as an audacious and principled leader who lived a life of simplicity and service.
He extended condolences to President Bola Tinubu, Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State, and the late president’s family, noting that Buhari’s values shaped national discourse and governance style for decades.
“I received the news of the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari. It’s one death that grieves, but our faith in God Almighty, who gives and takes, remains unshakeable,” Aiyedatiwa stated.
He added that Buhari “was a man who valued his integrity and couldn’t hide his feelings. He was jocular and could make anyone smile even in difficult situations.”
Recalling a recent meeting with Buhari, the governor said the former president was “audacious, prudent, contented, strong-willed, and compassionate.”
Similarly, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Marwa (retd) described Buhari as “a true statesman, patriot, and servant-leader” whose governance was marked by discipline, infrastructural drive, and efforts to improve security and agricultural productivity.
“Former President Buhari will be remembered for his steadfast efforts to restore discipline in governance, and pursuit of security and stability during some of the most challenging periods in our national history,” Marwa said in a tribute released Monday.
He added that the late president’s “integrity, simplicity, and personal discipline set him apart,” and praised Buhari’s dual role as both a former military and civilian leader.
Marwa concluded with prayers for the deceased, asking that “the Almighty Allah, in His infinite mercy, grant the soul of our departed leader Al-Jannah Firdaus.”
In a separate condolence message, the Nigeria Customs Service also acknowledged Buhari’s contributions to institutional reforms. The Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, conveyed sympathies on behalf of officers and personnel of the Service.
His message read in part: “His legacy as a disciplined leader and patriot who contributed immensely to national development, including key reforms in the Nigeria Customs Service, will be remembered.”
Buhari, who governed Nigeria from 2015 to 2023, was also the military Head of State from 1984 to 1985. His body is expected to arrive in Nigeria from the United Kingdom on Monday, where he will be buried in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State, in line with Islamic traditions.
