Nigeria’s former president and military ruler, Muhammadu Buhari, has died at age 82 in London, according to a statement released today by his spokesperson, Garba  Shehu. Buhari, who governed Nigeria as a military head of state from December 1983 to August 1985 and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023, had been receiving medical treatment overseas amid recurring health concerns.

Shehu’s statement, released Sunday afternoon, read: “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. The family of the former president has announced … the former president passed away in a London clinic,” setting the date as July 13.

INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHI RAJI’UN

The family has announced the passing of the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, this afternoon, in a clinic in London.

May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin.

Signed.
Garba Shehu
13 July 2025

— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) July 13, 2025

Buhari’s presidency was marked by his distinction as the first opposition candidate in Nigerian history to defeat an incumbent, unseating Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. His tenure saw intense battles against Boko Haram and a struggling economy, generating both praise for his anti-corruption efforts and criticism over economic performance.

In the months before his death, Buhari frequently travelled to the U.K. for medical check-ups, most recently attending to an intestinal condition, and had been in and out of intensive care, with sources indicating deteriorating health.

He is survived by his wife, Aisha Buhari, and their children. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days.

His death marks the end of a complicated era in Nigerian politics, one shaped by iron-fisted leadership, deep popular mistrust, and moments of historic transformation.