CLAIM: No World Leader Mourned Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s Death
On July 14, 2025, an X user claimed that since the pronouncement of the death of Nigeria’s former president, Muhammadu Buhari, no world leader has sent a condolence message to mourn with Nigerians. The post was captioned, “#MondayMotivation Since #buhari was pronounced dead has any world leader sent a condolence message to the Nigeria govt? Nnamdi KANU was right when he said Judril was the impostor in Aso Rock Walk with me. Amen | The North | yaradua | Chelsea | Sunday igboho | Happy new week.”
This claim had reached over 27,000 people when spotted by the fact-checker. @Jeffreyehinor1 said “Jubril have been decommissioned. Nigeria na cruise normally” while @theClevite wrote “Even when Nnamdi Kanu is in prison, he still holds you in mental bondage! Your condition is more miserable than that of Kanu, because your mental bondage is more critical than his physical bondage.”
VERIFICATION
Former President, Muhammadu Buhari died on Sunday, July 13, 2025 at a hospital in the United Kingdom. Spokesperson to the late Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu made this known in a statement released the same day. The statement read “The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London. May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus.”
Buhari had contested the presidency three times unsuccessfully, in 2003, 2007, and 2011, before clinching victory in 2015 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, defeating then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. He was re-elected in 2019 and completed his second term in 2023. His 2015 inauguration marked a turning point in Nigeria’s democratic history, as it was the first time an opposition candidate unseated a sitting president through the ballot.
Have World Leaders Mourned Buhari’s Demise?
After the announcement of Buhari’s shocking death, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed conveyed solidarity and sorrow in a formal message to Nigeria.
Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, described Buhari as a statesman with “wisdom, warmth, and unwavering commitment to India–Nigeria friendship” during a recall of his meetings and conversations with Buhari on various occasions.
Gambian President Adama Barrow remembered Buhari as a peacebuilder, recognizing his vital role in resolving The Gambia's 2016 constitutional crisis, describing him as an activist for peace both at home and in the subregion. He paid tribute to the late Nigerian leader’s role in ending the political impasse in The Gambia following controversial elections in 2016, by negotiating former President Yahya Jammeh’s exit from Gambia and the deployment of regional peacekeepers to which Nigeria still contributes troops.
President William Ruto of Kenya also extended his heartfelt condolences to the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria following the passing of former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. In a statement issued on Monday, President Ruto described Buhari as a towering African statesman whose influence and legacy went beyond Nigeria’s borders.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Djibouti, who also doubles as the African Union Commission Chairperson, Mahmoud Youssouf, praised Buhari as a Pan‑Africanist and champion of regional integration, sending condolences to Nigeria’s government and his family. The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, the Turkish, Chinese and U.S. embassies in Abuja also published statements, expressing deep sadness, mourning Buhari as a resolute leader and extending condolences to Nigeria
CONCLUSION
The claim that since the pronouncement of the death of Nigeria’s former president, Muhammadu Buhari, no world leader has sent a condolence message is FALSE. Notable African countries like India, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Kenya, as well as envoys from the A.U. and ECOWAS amongst several others including Chinese and the U.S. embassies have all sent in condolences to Nigeria.
