London: Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari died in London on Sunday following a “prolonged illness,” a presidential spokesperson announced. “President Buhari died today in London at about 4:30 p.m. (1530 GMT),” President Bola Tinubu’s spokesperson wrote in a post on X. The nature of the 82-year-old’s illness was not disclosed.

According to Deutsche Welle, Buhari’s tenure was marked by persistent rumors about his health, with accusations of a lack of transparency regarding his illness. Despite occasional long absences from public duties, details of his condition were kept from the public. Buhari himself admitted during one of his trips that he had “never been so ill” and had received several blood transfusions.

Tinubu has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Buhari, whose political journey began when he seized power in 1983 as a military ruler. During his initial rule, he promised to revitalize the country and took a firm stance against corruption. However, Buhari’s first stint in power was short-lived, as he was ousted after 18 months by another military officer, Ibrahim Babangida.

After spending decades on the periphery of Nigerian politics, Buhari rebranded himself as a “converted democrat” and made a significant comeback by defeating incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. His victory was hailed as Nigeria’s fairest election to date. Buhari’s presidency, which lasted until 2023, was not without challenges. His government faced economic hurdles, including a recession and declining oil prices, and security threats from militant groups.

Buhari’s leadership was tested by the Islamist insurgency led by Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The insurgency, which began in 2009, spread beyond the northeast, resulting in over 36,000 deaths and the displacement of 2 million people, according to the United Nations. Despite expectations that Buhari, a retired major general, would effectively tackle these armed groups, security continued to deteriorate under his administration.