Nigeria Mourns: Full List of Late Former Presidents and Heads of State as Buhari Joins the Ancestors

The death of former President Muhammadu Buhari has added another name to the list of Nigeria’s past leaders who have passed on.

Buhari died on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in a hospital in London after a prolonged battle with illness. His remains are scheduled to arrive in Daura, Katsina State, today for a state funeral.

Here is a look at other Nigerian heads of state and presidents who have died:

1. Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (1966)
   Nigeria’s first military Head of State. He was assassinated during the July 1966 counter-coup just months after assuming office in January.

2. General Murtala Mohammed (1975–1976)
   Took over from General Yakubu Gowon but was assassinated in Lagos during a failed coup attempt in February 1976.

3. President Shehu Shagari (1979–1983)
   The country’s first executive president under the Second Republic. He died on December 28, 2018, at the age of 93.

4. General Sani Abacha (1993–1998)
   Known for his authoritarian rule, Abacha died suddenly of a heart attack in office in June 1998.

5. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (1963–1966)
   Nigeria’s first ceremonial president. He passed away on May 11, 1996, at the age of 91.

6. President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (2007–2010)
   Died on May 5, 2010, due to a long-term illness. He was buried in his hometown of Katsina after a national mourning period.

Now, with Muhammadu Buhari’s passing, Nigeria once again reflects on the legacies of its leaders, both military and civilian.

The late president’s body was transported from London aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft. Upon arrival in Nigeria, he will be laid to rest in accordance with state protocols.