President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the constitution of an inter-ministerial committee to coordinate a state burial for the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on Sunday in London after a prolonged illness.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), the committee will be chaired by Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

The committee is tasked with organizing a befitting state funeral for Buhari, a former military Head of State and two-term democratically elected President whose service to Nigeria spanned more than five decades.

Members of the Committee Include;

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Economy, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Minister of Defence,

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Minister of Works, Minister of Interior, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, 

Others are National Security Adviser, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political and Other Matters, Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS),

Chief of Defence Staff.

The Office of the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office (GSO) at the OSGF will serve as the secretariat for the committee.

In a related directive, President Tinubu has instructed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to open condolence registers at the entrances of their offices, allowing Nigerians to pay tribute to the late statesman.

For members of the diplomatic corps and the general public, central condolence registers have been opened at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.

Further details regarding the funeral programme are expected to be announced by the committee in the coming days.

Buhari, who served as Head of State from 1984 to 1985 and later as President from 2015 to 2023, will receive full state honours and will be laid to rest on Tuesday, July 15, in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.

President Tinubu had earlier declared a seven-day national mourning period, during which all national flags are to be flown at half-mast across the country.