Buratai Pays Tribute To Buhari One Year
Former Chief of Army Staff and ex-Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai, rtd., has paid glowing tribute to late President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR on the first anniversary of his passing.
This was contained in a statement released in Abuja on July 13, 2026, Buratai described Buhari as more than a statesman, calling him “a Commander-in-Chief whose hand I held in the theater of war and whose vision I executed in the defense of our nation.”
The retired general recalled his appointment in July 2015, saying the late President gave him a clear directive to degrade Boko Haram and restore Nigeria’s territorial integrity in the Northeast.
READ ALSO: EFCC Arraigns Ex-Access Bank Staff For Alleged N294.5m Theft
“He never minced words. He provided the strategic direction and the unwavering political will that empowered the Armed Forces to reclaim our land,” Buratai said.
He noted that while Buhari’s policies were widely debated, those who served under him saw a leader of “legendary stoicism” who trusted the military to do its job while demanding high standards of accountability.
“It was a ‘very difficult period’ as I have often noted, but it was the clarity of his vision that saw us through the darkest hours of the insurgency. The victories we recorded were a direct reflection of his firm, patriotic determination,” he added.
Buratai also spoke of the personal trust Buhari placed in him, which he linked to his father’s historical loyalty to the late President’s values. “That trust was a burden I carried with honour, and I am proud that we did not fail him,” he noted.
Describing Buhari’s legacy, Buratai said the former President lived and died as “the epitome of integrity and modesty,” having rejected ostentation and retired to his hometown of Daura with “the same quiet dignity he brought to the Presidency.”
He stresses that Buhari’s leadership redefined Nigeria’s democratic landscape and laid “foundational stones for a secure future.”
Extending condolences to the Buhari family and the nation, Buratai stated that, “We have lost a pillar of honesty.”
He therefore prayed to him by quoting Qur’an 2:156: “From Allah we came and to Him we shall return,” and asking Allah to accept Buhari’s good deeds, forgive his shortcomings, and grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.
BY ABDULBAQI JIBREEL AJAO
