Vice-President Kashim Shettima has described the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari as an immense national tragedy, saying the nation has lost one of its most exceptional and principled leaders.
In a condolence message released on Sunday in Abuja, Shettima said he had recently visited Buhari in London, hoping for his recovery, but was instead met with the devastating news of his passing.
“It is a black Sunday in Nigeria! My heart is overwhelmed by grief, as the nation mourns one of its greatest leaders of all time,” Shettima said. “This loss is too cruel than terms could give out.”
The vice-president reflected on Buhari’s decades of public service, from his time in the military to becoming Head of State, and later returning to power as a civilian president.
“Great leaders like the late Buhari are very rare to come by in a lifetime. He was a true democrat in every sense, whose loyalty to his country and commitment to unity helped keep Nigeria together,” Shettima added.
He praised Buhari’s courage, integrity, and lifelong dedication to the Nigerian people.
“Indeed, he lived a life that transcended the ordinary—a life defined by selflessness and bravery in the face of adversity.”
Shettima extended his heartfelt condolences to Buhari’s family, the government and people of Katsina State, and to Nigerians everywhere, encouraging them to take solace in the former president’s enduring legacy.
“He will continue to live amongst us through the legacies already engraved in the very fabric of the Nigerian State,” he concluded.
