President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the formation of an Inter-Ministerial Committee to oversee the planning and coordination of a state funeral for former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on Sunday in London at the age of 81.
This was contained in an official statement released on Monday by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and signed by Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations.
The committee, to be chaired by Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, comprises high-ranking officials across key ministries, departments, and security agencies.
According to the statement, the committee’s mandate is to ensure that Buhari, a two-time Nigerian leader and respected elder statesman, is accorded a befitting state burial.
Committee members include:
- Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy
- Minister of Budget and Economic Planning
- Minister of Defence
- Minister of Information and National Orientation
- Minister of Works
- Minister of Interior
- Minister of the Federal Capital Territory
- Minister of Housing and Urban Development
- Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare
- Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy
- National Security Adviser
- Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination
- Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political and Other Matters
- Inspector General of Police
- Director-General of the DSS
- Chief of Defence Staff
The Permanent Secretary, General Services Office (GSO) will serve as the secretariat to the committee.
As part of the ongoing tributes, President Tinubu also directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to open condolence registers at their entrances for members of the public to pay their respects.
Additionally, two central condolence registers will be opened at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, for the diplomatic community and the general public.
This announcement follows Tinubu’s earlier declaration of seven days of national mourning and a public holiday on Tuesday, July 15, to honour the memory of the late former president, who will be laid to rest in Daura, Katsina State, on the same day.
