Nigeria's former president Buhari dead at 82
Buhari governed Nigeria with a strong hand as a military ruler in the 1980s before reinventing himself as a "converted democrat", serving two terms from 2015 to 2023.
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Sharjah 24
a day ago
- Sharjah 24
Nigeria's former president Buhari dead at 82
Current President Bola Tinubu said in a statement that his predecessor died in London at about 4:30 pm (1530 GMT) "following a prolonged illness". He did not disclose the nature of the illness. Buhari governed Nigeria with a strong hand as a military ruler in the 1980s before reinventing himself as a "converted democrat", serving two terms from 2015 to 2023.


Gulf Today
a day ago
- Gulf Today
Nigeria's former president Muhammadu Buhari passes away
Former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari — who led his country first as a junta strongman and later as an elected democrat — died on Sunday at the age of 82, an aide said. Buhari governed Nigeria with a strong hand as a military ruler in the 1980s before reinventing himself as a "converted democrat", serving two terms from 2015 to 2023. "The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, this afternoon in a clinic in London," Garba Shehu, who served as Buhari's spokesman during his presidency, said in a post on social media. Current President Bola Tinubu said in a statement that he had spoken with Buhari's widow and ordered Vice President Kashim Shettima to go to England to accompany Buhari's body back to Nigeria. The rake-thin 82-year-old Muslim from Nigeria's far north made history as the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent leader at the ballot box in 2015. His election victory in a country where re-election for the incumbent had been taken for granted was seen as a rare opportunity for Nigeria to change course. But his time at the helm failed to halt the country's long-standing issues of graft and insecurity, while the oil giant was further dogged by economic woes. Agence France-Presse


Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Middle East Eye
New Gaza-bound aid boat leaves Italy
A Gaza-bound boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists and humanitarian aid left Sicily on Sunday, over a month after Israel detained and deported people aboard a previous vessel. The Handala, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left the port of Syracuse shortly after noon (1000 GMT), an AFP journalist saw, carrying about 15 activists. Several dozen people, some holding Palestinian flags and others wearing keffiyeh scarves, gathered at the port to cheer the boat's departure with cries of "Free Palestine". The former Norwegian trawler -- loaded with medical supplies, food, children's equipment and medicine -- will sail for about a week in the Mediterranean, covering roughly 1,800 kilometres, in the hope of reaching Gaza's coast. In early March, Israel imposed a total aid blockade on Gaza amid an impasse in truce negotiations, only partially easing restrictions in late May. The boat will make a stop at Gallipoli, in southeastern Italy, where two members of the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI) are expected to join. The initiative comes six weeks after the departure of the Madleen, another ship that left Italy for Gaza transporting aid and activists, including Greta Thunberg. Israel authorities intercepted the Madleen about 185 kilometres west of Gaza's coast. "This is a mission for the children in Gaza, to break the humanitarian blockade and to break the summer silence on the genocide," said Gabrielle Cathala, one of the two France Unbowed party members set to board the boat on July 18. "I hope we will reach Gaza but if not, it will be yet another violation of international law" by Israel, she added. Reporting by AFP