The Sultan Lane Kaduna residence of late President Muhammadu Buhari was deserted and desolate as armed soldiers prevented journalists from accessing the street.
Neighbours along the street were indoors with their gates closed.
One of the soldiers guarding the resident told journalists that they had not received any formal information about the death of the former president.
The soldiers who approached journalists politely explained, that the area is a security zone and will not allow people to loitter around by this time (6:45 pm).
“Please, I am not preventing you from doing your work. But we are also doing our work.
“We don’t want to see anyone along this street.
“We are just hearing what you heard as a rumour. We have not been officially informed about what happened, and we cannot allow you here.
“We appreciate how you are doing your job, but I want to plead with you to please leave this area as we are also doing our job” the soldier said.
It was also gathered that no family member of the President was living at the house.
A former minister of Water resources, under Buhari, Suleiman Adamu who chatted with journalists as he was living the residence said the remains of the former President will be laid to rest in Katsina state.
Meanwhile, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has expressed sadness over Buhari’s demise.
In a statement in Kaduna on Sunday, spokesperson of the forum,
Tukur Mohammed-Baba, “It is with great sadness that the ACF received news of the death of General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the immediate past president
According to the forum, “Buhari led a life full of momentous activities, not surprising for a personaliity who had twice served as chief Executive of Nigeria, first as Military Head of State (1983 – 1985), then as twice democratically elected President (2015 – 2023)…”
The forum noted that Buhari was a recurring decimal in policy and governance circles in Nigeria for nearly the past 60 years.
” Perhaps as should be expected, late General Buhari’s services to Nigeria could not have failed to elicit mixed reactions and evaluations, from friends and foes alike, the ACF said.
The forum noted that, “Those different times he had served incorporated momentous and often controversial episodes in checkered Nigeria’s history.
“It is to be expected that some of the controversies and other memories as his legacies will linger and be subjected to analyses. “However, there is no Nigerian alive today that enjoyed the love and loyalty of the Nigerian downtrodden, especially in the North like the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
“ACF mourns Gen. Buhari and prays for the peaceful repose of his soul in Aljanna Fir-daus.
“ACF equally extends condolences to his family and friends, the people and Government of the Federation, Katsina state and beyond.”
Also reacting in an interview, the Convener of Arewa Think Tank (ATT), Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu said, “The death of Former President Muhammadu Buhari is Shattering, Devastating and Shocking, we pray that Almighty Allah Grant him Jannatu Firdausi, it’s also a lesson for our present crops of leaders that a day like this await all of us and that they should lead with the fear of God”.
Buhari’s Kaduna residence deserted as ACF, Arewa think-tank mourn
