Category Nigeria News

The Federal Government has postponed the special Federal Executive Council (FEC) session earlier scheduled for Tuesday in honour of former President Muhammadu Buhari, due to the state funeral slated for the same day in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State.

A new date for the session will be announced by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation after the funeral proceedings.

To honour the late Nigerian leader, the Federal Government has also declared Tuesday, 15 July, a public holiday.

President Bola Tinubu, who ordered the FEC session as a tribute to Buhari’s “invaluable contributions to the country”, also declared a seven-day national mourning period, with flags flown at half-mast.

Former President Buhari died on Sunday, 13 July, at about 4:30 p.m. in a London hospital following a prolonged illness. He died at 82.

In line with Islamic rites, his remains are expected to arrive in Katsina by noon on Tuesday and will be laid to rest at 2:00 p.m. in Daura.

READ ALSO: Buhari For Burial Tuesday As Mourners Throng Daura Residence

This was confirmed by Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State, who briefed the press after consultations with the late president’s family and associates in the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima paid a condolence visit to Buhari’s family in London on Monday. Acting on behalf of President Tinubu, the Vice President met with Buhari’s widow, Mrs Aishat Buhari. Also, he visited the late president’s nephew, Mamman Daura, who is currently recuperating in a London hospital.

According to Stanley Nkwocha, Spokesman and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), the condolence visit was conducted while formal documentation for the repatriation of the remains was being finalised.

Shettima was accompanied by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar; and Deputy Chief of Staff, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia.

As arrangements continue in London, solemn scenes have already begun to unfold in Nigeria. Mourners have gathered at Buhari’s Daura residence, with relatives, neighbours, and associates offering tributes and prayers.

Though security presence has increased in and around Daura, including the Emirate Council, commercial activities have continued in surrounding areas.

Channels Television’s UK Correspondent, Juliana Olayinka, reports that necessary procedures are underway at the London hospital to release the body of the former president.

Tributes have poured in from across the country, with many describing Buhari as a man of integrity and a symbol of selfless leadership.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has paid a condolence visit to the family of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari in London.

The visit, carried out on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was disclosed in a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, the Spokesman and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President).

Upon arrival in the United Kingdom on Monday, Shettima met with the bereaved family, Buhari’s wife, Mrs Aishat Buhari, and also visited the ex-president’s nephew, Mamman Daura, who is currently recuperating in a London hospital.

According to Nkwocha, the condolence visits were conducted while Vice President Shettima awaits the conclusion of documentation and formal procedures required for the repatriation of Buhari’s remains to Nigeria.

Shettima was accompanied by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar; and Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia.

READ ALSO: FG Declares Tuesday As Public Holiday To Honour Buhari

Former President Muhammadu Buhari, who led Nigeria from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023, passed away at about 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in a hospital in London, aged 82, after a prolonged illness.

Meanwhile, the Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has announced funeral arrangements following consultations with the late president’s family and close associates in the UK.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Radda disclosed that Buhari’s body is expected to arrive in Katsina by noon on Tuesday, July 15, with burial scheduled to take place in his hometown, Daura, at 2:00 p.m.

While preparations for the body’s release continue, Channels Television’s UK Correspondent, Juliana Olayinka, reported that documentation processes were underway at the hospital in London where the former president died.

In Nigeria, mourners have begun converging on Buhari’s Daura residence in Katsina State. Relatives, neighbours, friends, and close associates gathered in a solemn atmosphere to pay their respects.

Although security has been tightened in and around Daura, including at the entrance of the Emirate Council, commercial activities have continued along the main roads leading to the residence.

Tributes have continued to pour in from dignitaries and citizens nationwide, many of whom described Buhari as a man of integrity and selfless service.

GbaramatuVoice, a media platform in the Niger Delta, plans to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a landmark two-day event scheduled to take place on Wednesday, August 27, and Thursday, August 28, 2025, at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

According to the organisers, the event will feature a high-level Public Lecture on the first day, followed by the Niger Delta Night of Honour on the second. These two key programmes are designed to commemorate a decade of fearless journalism, cultural advocacy, and developmental engagement by GbaramatuVoice across the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large.

The 10th Anniversary Public Lecture is scheduled to hold on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, beginning at 10:30 am. It will be centred on the theme, “Gaps and Silences in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Economy: Appraisal of Resource Control, Security and Media Dynamics.” The lecture is expected to bring together national leaders, government officials, oil and gas stakeholders, international oil companies (IOCs), security experts, diplomats, academics, media professionals, youth leaders, and concerned citizens. The aim of the session is to foster critical dialogue on the unresolved issues surrounding resource control, national integration, environmental justice, and the strategic role of the media in the Niger Delta and beyond.

“Ten years of reporting from the creeks and communities of the Niger Delta has taught us that the real stories of oil, conflict, justice and survival are often buried beneath national headlines,” the organizers said in a pre-event statement. “This lecture is a chance to bring those silences to the fore.”

On Thursday, August 28, 2025, attention will shift to the Niger Delta Night of Honour, a glamorous evening event that will begin with a red carpet reception at 4:00 pm and proceed with the main ceremony at 5:00 pm. The night is designed to celebrate individuals, institutions, and cultural champions whose work and sacrifices have contributed to the advancement, peace, and identity of the Niger Delta region. Awards, cultural performances, and special recognitions will highlight the night’s proceedings.

Speaking on the significance of the anniversary, the Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of GbaramatuVoice, Mr. Jacob Abai, described the celebration as more than a media milestone. He said it marks a journey of purpose — one that has involved amplifying marginalised voices, documenting heritage, and shaping national conversations on equity, justice, and development in the Niger Delta.

“This 10th anniversary is a celebration of truth, courage, and culture. It reflects ten solid years of reporting stories from the creeks to the capital, stories of resilience and hope, stories that challenge power and inspire progress,” Mr. Abai stated. “GbaramatuVoice stands as a voice for the voiceless and a platform of possibilities for the next generation.”

In the coming weeks, a full list of guest speakers, panelists, awardees, and entertainers will be unveiled by the organising committee. Dignitaries expected at the event include traditional rulers, governors, senators, leaders of oil-producing communities, as well as partners in diplomacy, civil society, and media development.

The organisers are inviting stakeholders, sponsors, and well-wishers to be part of this historic celebration. Enquiries about participation, sponsorships, or media partnership can be directed to 0803 089 1146 or 0814 345 9986. Alternatively, interested individuals and organisations can email [email protected].

A three-storey building has collapsed in Kano State, killing two people.

The uncompleted building, located in the Sabon Gari area of the northwestern state, collapsed on Sunday night.

This followed a heavy downpour of rain that started around noon and lasted for more than five hours.

The downpour forced victims to take shelter in the building from the rain, and came tumbling down afterwards, claiming the lives of two people.

Fortunately, eight victims were rescued and are receiving treatment at the Murtala Mohammed hospital.

Speaking with Channels Television on Monday, the Executive Secretary of Kano State Emergency Management Agency, Isyaku Kubarachi, described the situation as sad and said the structure of the ill-fated building was inferior.             

He further noted that all rescue efforts had been a collaborative one to ensure more victims were brought out of the debris, while calling on the government to ensure that the law takes its course for those who are involved in building with inferior materials. 

Excavation is still ongoing as members of the community lamented the unfortunate event, noting that several warnings were given to the owner of the building on the quality of materials used, foreseeing a disaster ahead.

See photos from the scene below: